Shatter Me
by RyuChan444
Summary: The stings of blades and evasion of enemy eyes, how can one begin to find the reason of her being here of all places? Centuries into the past and for reasons unknown, what can one girl do when standing face to face with angry guards? Templars? An Assassin...? Will outside forces bring them to where they need to be or will it be the end? AtlaïrXOC
1. Chapter 1

This couldn't be happening. It's all a dream. That's right. None of this is real. So much has happened, it would be more than easy to confuse reality with fantasy. After all, how many people have literally experienced something like this? Other than the actors and characters that were magically teleported to wherever they wanted to be in films, no one in actual reality had ever accomplished something like this. This is a dream!

It's been a couple of hours, at least that's what it felt like to her. What was keeping her from waking up? It was all too real, everything felt real. The humidity in the air to the molded surface of the buildings of this ancient city beneath her feet, even the feathered arrows that would whisk by left a _swish_ in the air that was enough to startle her.

All she could remember before was when she was strumming the whimsical notes on her violin… and in one turn, the dark shelter of the studio she resided in had slipped away, exposing her to the harsh sun and heat of summer air as she stood atop a roof to who knew where. The musical notes falling to a flat as realization began to settle in… instrument slowly sinking to her side in her grasp. A glimpse of a hooded figure in white in one direction and then several other men with blades and arrows targeted at her—it was all she could do to run away!

One thing she was grateful for in her younger years when her Physical Education professor would make the whole class run several mile laps every day. Though an escape across rooftops proved to be rather challenging for her, she managed to leap across those with narrow alleys in-between the sturdy structures.

How she managed to even make it to ground level without serious injury from the abrasive attacks of several angry soldiers was beyond her. Though running through the streets might have been just as difficult as travel by rooftops… So many people around her and she stuck out like a sore thumb. Amid many with long dull coloured robes, cloys and veils, sandaled feet—there was no way she could simply disappear into a crowd like this with her skin tight black leggings, black buckled leather boots, and ruffled mini red and black dress that only reached to mid-thigh. Add to that, she was the only girl whose long hair flew freely in long dark red silky locks.

Even if this were a dream, she could already feel the breath in her lungs growing painful and her throat screaming at her in protest from all this excursion. But the adrenaline in her veins pushed her onward. If she stopped, or even so much as tripped, then she would be dead. Dream or not, that was the last thing she wanted to experience.

She darted around sharp corners, praying that no more guards resided in the paths she would take, until she had found herself at a dead end. Feeling her heart nearly falter from panic at the thought of being trapped, her eyes spotted a ladder just a few feet to the side of her and she bolted without hesitation. Scaling the structure of yet another building until she reached one of the rooftop levels, she needed to figure out her next move fast. To her luck, another ladder to the next level of the roof was just beside her and from there… possibly the only best hiding place she could even dream to find. The second she had her foot set on that level, she hurtled herself through the curtains of the wooden enclosed well-like structure, the violin and bow even managed to survive the adventure with her as they plopped lightly to the floor next to her.

Curling herself into a ball at the corner of her handing place with her hands over her mouth to stifle the rasps of her breathing, the only sound that even emitted around her was the frantic beating of her heart. Voices of guards and soldiers could still be heard near her, calling out in anger and frustration. Words of French… Italian maybe…? Arabic even—barely any lick of English save for maybe a phrase or two and the realization her situation was making the brim of her tightly closed eyes sting with tears. Even if this was a dream… it was too real… and the danger, the unfamiliarity… the unknown, and the feel of being stranded set a heavy weight on her to the point she barely even acknowledged the clang of metal and blood-filled gurgles that ruptured not far from her tiny safe haven.


	2. Chapter 2

_My name is Ann Elizabeth Delaney. Twenty-four years of age and already completed those long years of college that were both dreadful and yet wonderful. For the last few years I have worked as a performer to help get by, and before you ask, no I am not an exotic performer you see in your standard men's club. I've dabbled in plays and dance competitions, though my main hobby was always the violin. _

_Other than that, you could say that I live a pretty mundane life. Everything is the same. There are several days that blend together and I forget if it's the last Thursday of March or if I'm already slipping into the month of June. Back to back, nonstop consistency, day to day._

_Though I suppose you can say that there is one thing that sets me apart from your average person. One thing that happened to me that I never even realized would change my way of life forever. _

_My life in-between jobs, it's not exactly a pleasant way to live when you're worrying over next months rent and if your shows will even help cover it. That was when I was approached by a woman. _

"_We have a proposition for you," she said. "And we would like you to consider helping us with a project of ours."_

_The details were a little fuzzy and from what I remember, very farfetched, but somehow I found myself agreeing to her proclamation. I probably would have turned her down from the very beginning, but a friend of mine whom I had known for most of my life had been associated with this company, Abstergo Industries, for quite some time. He had known of my financial situation for a while and was determined to do everything in his power to help me find a more concrete job. I supposed this was one of his negotiations actually coming through. _

_At the time, I had expected to go to them the following day or two, but to my own surprise, she had me go with her to her company that very night. Anyone in their right state of mind would have looked at that as rather suspicious behavior, but she held up quite a convincing story to get me to go along._

_The next thing I knew, wary of my situation, I was lying in some kind of machine. _

"_Not to worry, nothing bad is going to happen. In fact, you're going to experience something that most people dream of," The woman, whom I had come to learn to be Lucy, must have picked up on the unnerving expression on my face. _

"_Will you hurry up, we haven't the time for idle chit-chat," another man in the room blurted out as he walked by in my peripheral vision. Lucy only managed a curt nod before she glanced back over to me, typing away on the computer at the end of the machine._

"_Just relax," she smiled faintly. _

_It was lying on that giant hunk of metal that I realized I probably should have contacted my friend first before agreeing to anything… But just as soon as that thought had crossed my mind, my entire vision had faded to white. _

_That was four months ago. And nothing has been the same ever since. _

_They never told me details of any kind. They never even revealed their exact location now that I recall. When I was first escorted to their facility, it was late and the windows of their car were tinted black so I could not see anything to tell where we were going even after such a long twisted drive. They had me stay for a handful of sessions and even then I could barely grasp what was going on. _

_Seeing the world through the eyes of my ancestors before me? So much war and chaos and it felt like I was right there to begin with. None of this could possibly be real, even if they were 'memories from my DNA'. This had to be a simulation of some sort, perhaps a preparation for some of the latest video game technology that has yet to hit the market. A Brotherhood of Assassin's, the order of Templars, what kind of game was this leading out to be? It couldn't be real, I had never heard of anything like this before! _

_Though I did have to admit… the illusion of actually being there in real time was more than effective. I could not distinguish the difference of reality to this simulation. But alas, after a couple of weeks it seemed that my help was not what they were looking for in their technology advances. I had no understanding of anything and even from the intimidating remarks their higher ups would make, they soon released me declaring that they were no longer in need of my services, but that I was to sign a contract obligating me to complete silence and to never speak of this ordeal to anyone._

_But ever since then it felt as if I was always being followed… Being on my own grew more frightening each day and I would look for ways to avoid going home by myself. I would stay at the studio late, trying to distract myself from the dark thoughts that tried to plague my mind or even the flashes of the 'past' that would re-enter my subconscious state of mind._

"_Come on, Ann," I whispered in a deep exhale. "Pull yourself together. You have other matters to focus on." It was late and the studio was mostly empty save for the few other people that were either in their offices planning their next event or a couple of instructors negotiating with volunteers on costumes. I was within the amphitheater, standing in the center of the stage with my violin in hand._

_This. My only escape from the daunting thoughts and harsh reality. My bow fluidly strumming the notes, softly at first before they could begin to dance right off the strings with a new life of their own. My eyes closed and I could feel myself falling into the sweet intoxicating melody as I swayed in my own movements to sync with the music. The cool air bellowing overhead from the studio's ventilation was the only thing that kept me from falling completely away from the present._

_The tempo picked up and I swirled on my feet as I played each note with fluid precision. I didn't even realize it when the cool mechanical wind around me disappeared, only to be replaced by crisp warm air. And that was when it all __happened. I opened my eyes and fell frozen with the sweet melody breaking mid-note._

_This is where I am… This is how I got here. _

_Unarmed and defenseless, hiding in a wooden structure to conceal myself from the violent threats outside, curled up tightly in the corner praying not to be noticed and screaming in my head to wake up. Someone please, if anyone can hear me at all, please make this stop! Please, help!_

.:*~*:.

Blood stained the coarse landing of the roof, several bodies strewn over its surface. A corpse or two were dragged to the far edge of the structure only to be tossed away to the streets below to distract any other alerted guards that might have been looking to the sky for their latest target. A sword, stained and dripping with blood, was swiped to the side to rid the excess crimson drops before it would be sheathed once more by the tall man's hip and his feet could dart swiftly and silently, hoisting him up to the next level of the building's rooftop.

He had bought mere seconds with the mere distraction he pulled before more soldiers would come to inspect the area, but his plan had already been formulated long ago when he first tailed the group of guards through the city. Now, without a moment's hesitation, he leaped into the well structure, the slightest clink of his shoes armor barely announcing his swift movement. Already, he could hear the voices of other soldiers scaling the structure to find the criminals responsible for the spill of fresh blood as he inched closer to the corner of his hiding place.

The girl barely moved, but the sound of his boots and weapons lightly resonating from his movements had brought her to look up. Her mouth opened as soon as she saw him, but was immediately clamped shut by his hand as he had drawn close to her, making her slump back into her corner. Panic flickered in her eyes for only a moment until he brought up one finger to his lips, commanding stillness and silence. Even as the voices outside resounded their taunting remarks, his deep amber eyes did not waver from hers, making sure she did nothing to mess up or give away their position. It surprised him however how quick she was to relax against his hold.

The seconds slowly ticked by and neither one of them moved until the last soldier had vacated the rooftop. He shifted slightly in his stance and the girl could finally catch her own breath—for a split second at least before his free left hand spat forth his hidden blade, making the girl freeze in place.

"Who are you?"


	3. Chapter 3

_English… My ears are reading English! Was I in the Animus again? But if that were the case then why would I be in my usual clothes? Or even have my violin with me to begin with? Despite that, I felt a sense of relief; relief for a fleeting chance that someone here will be able to understand me. Though shouldn't I be feeling terror for what just happened? Another glance and the longer my eyes remained locked with his, the more he familiar he began to seem to me. Dawned in white with a hood concealing most of his facial features, a signature red sash tied around his waist, and lest we forget the hidden blade strapped to his wrist. If I was not mistaken, he seemed to be just like one of the Assassin's I had encountered on several occasions when I resided in the Animus. _

_Several times I had been in that machine and several times they had me 'reliving' some of my ancestor's memories, but each time I was associated with these Assassin's, their Brotherhood and their Creed. Now looking upon this man, there was no mistake in my mind—this man was an Assassin. But the only thing that left my mind running frantically was the simple question… Is this really real?_

"Don't make me ask again," he growled, growing more impatient with each second that passed. "Who are you?"

"A-Ann," she stuttered, unmoving in her position. "Ann Delaney…"

"Why are you here?" His blade inched closer, but not once did it touch her skin.

"Usually when someone gives you their name, its common courtesy to give them yours in return," she responded, her voice quick to find itself.

His brow furrowed at her answer, displeased. "Do not test me, I have no time for this," he kept his voice low, but each word dripped with frustration. "A person dressed in an unusual wardrobe with a strange object in hand being chased by guards is not one to be taken lightly."

"And what exempts you from that? Hiding from guards and keeping your face from the public eye, not to mention the excess amount of weapons you seem to carry on your person, what could make you any more different than I?"

"A woman with a mouth like yours, you're treading on dangerous ground," he hissed. "A second ago you feared for your life and here you are playing like you are in no immediate danger. Do you not realize just who's blade you're up against?" Though he was unmoving in his stance, she made no indication of fear toward him. Why would she of all people not cower just by the sight of him when she was terrified by the blades of the guards pursuing her?

"You're an Assassin, are you not?" Her words made his breath freeze, catching in his throat. Though he did not move, she could see the slightest twitch of the corner of his mouth from her question. Silence had now claimed his tongue for mere moments before she would press the matter further. "It's a simple yes or no question. Are you a part of the Assassin Order or not?"

"If I were to say yes," he spoke, his words as rigid as he was. "What would that make you to me?" He could see her lips curl into a grin as she relaxed back against the corner he had her pinned in.

"It's your rule… Never stain your blade with the blood of the innocent, if I remember correctly."

"You assume as much. How do you know about the Creed?"

"So you are an Assassin, good to know," she started, catching the air of a growing temper around the man. "I'm sorry, it's a long complicated story I'm sure you wouldn't be interested in. Just tell me who you are and where I am so we can get this over with and you can put that blade away."

"I'm sorry, it's a long complicated story I'm sure you wouldn't be interested in," he countered, satisfied when he saw her cheeks puff in a hint of red as her own temper was being trifled with.

"So you would prefer I call you 'Assassin' then? What an interesting life you lead, you must love drawing quite an interesting crowd running around with that titl—"

"Enough!" His tone was enough to catch her off guard, though his voice remained level as to not draw any attention from nearby guards. Wrist retracting his hidden blade, his hands snatched the collar of her peculiar dress and jerked her with him up to her feet. "You will answer me clearly and stop these mindless riddles of yours. You will tell me what you are doing and what you know of Garnier de Naplouse!"

Though he succeeded in taking her by surprise, she did not move against his motions and waited until he had finished his command. "I'm sorry… I don't know of a Garnier de Naplouse," she stated calmly. "And I don't know why I'm here. I'm sorry, I can't help you."

"Then we are done here."

A click was enough to get her attention for her to react in time. As if acting on her own instincts, she snatched his left wrist, shoving his arm upward in time for her to roll her head under his concealed weapon and miss the blade that shot forth once more. Twisting his arm around in her own motion, she kicked him away from her with enough force to break any form of contact left between them. The shock was just as noticeable on her face as it was, she assumed, on him when he regained his balance. Though however brief the stunned façade was, his hand made a quick move to the hilt of his sword to prepare to strike.

"I'm not fighting you!" she snapped. "I'm not compromising your Brotherhood so there's no reason for any of this!" Her words were enough to still his actions before he could completely remove his sword from its sheath. For a few moments, neither of them moved and Ann was beginning to wonder if he was going to strike her at any given time or if he might back off. With few of the sun's rays peeking through the curtains of this well structure, she could barely make out the colour of his eyes, though she never dared to let her gaze stray just as he did. The silence carried on and both of them remained frozen in their stature. Her nerves starting to the better of her left the trickling sweat drip down the back of neck. Just how long was he going to let this drag on?!

Finally, he moved and his hand let his sword return to the safety of its sheath. His gaze as concrete as ever and his brow still knitted in scrutiny. "And how do I know you will not compromise my Brothers?"

Ann could finally take in a small breath, though she prayed her words would be enough for him. "You're just going to have to have a little faith in me…"

She couldn't tell if he was satisfied with that answer or not as the shade of his hood concealed most of his face. The only hint she could take was the subtle slack in his posture and she dared to speak just a little further. "Now…," she paused in wonder if he was going to try anything or not. "Will you tell me who you are…?"

No sign of movement, not even a sound save for the gentle sways of the curtains that concealed them from the outside world. With serious consideration on her own behalf, it seemed unlikely that he would reveal anything to her at all… until his voice made her flinch, breaking the silence in the air.

"Altaïr." She let a faint sigh of relief. "Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad."


	4. Chapter 4

The air in the city was completely different than how it was during the day. Cool gentle wisps under the silver sheen of the moon gave a welcoming embrace for the first couple of hours after dusk. Under the starry night sky, like a veil, it concealed the two figures scaling the rooftops and the streets of Acre. One skilled and agile in his moves and leaps across the structures and the other barely managing to keep up.

Another jump and the girl landed on all fours on the adjacent roof, trying to regain her breath. The hooded Assassin a mere few yards away from her paused in his movements to glance over his shoulder, peering back at her through narrow eyes. She took a second to pull herself back up to her feet, adjusting the leather strap around her shoulder and torso that held her instrument securely to her back in a redesigned bag.

"Do you think you could slow down just a little bit here…?" she breathed as she moved toward him, dusting some of the dust from her clothes.

"You've wasted enough of my time as it is," he curtly answered, turning his attention back to what lied ahead. "If you can't keep up, then you're on your own." He didn't leave a lasting second for her to reply as he jumped from the roof and onto a wooden beam, walking along its surface with such elegance that Ann could not help but to stare after him.

"Well aren't you just ever so thoughtful…," she mumbled under her breath, a light pout on her lips before she eyed the beam he jumped to. There was hesitation on her part before she brought herself back a few steps and ran to her leap off the edge, praying that she will make the narrow landing.

Contact was a success as her feet touched the wooden surface, though her balance was less than graceful as she swayed too far forward. "Ah-!" Reacting quickly, her hands snatched hold of the wooden beam before she fell completely off of it, leaving her to dangle so far off the ground. In the corner of her eye, she could see the Assassin, Altaïr pause in his moves to glance back over to her but he made no advancement to her aid nor his own destination.

With some struggle on her part, she managed to pull herself back on top of the beam, her arms and legs shaking in place in effort to maintain her balance. Though she was nowhere near as fast as Altaïr, she managed to cross the beam to the other side of the building where the Assassin waited. The moment her foot had even touched the surface of the next building, he leaped to the next completely disappearing from her sight.

"H-Hey!" she stammered in her rush to keep up with him. She managed to make it to the next rooftop though as she made her landing, Altaïr was nowhere to be seen. She spun on her heel trying to catch the slightest glimpse of the moon's reflection on his white robes, but all she could find was the dark overcast of the city.

"Altaïr…?!" she called out in a hushed frantic voice, not wanting to draw attention if any guards happened to be nearby. She spun around again and again, trying to make out where he possibly could have went until one moment when her set her foot down, but found no surface beneath her. Balance lost once more, she gasped as she found herself falling into a large opening of the building. Eyes shut tight with arms and hands pivoted out in front of her and bracing for impact, she was surprised when she landed on cushions, softening her blow.

Though not exactly plush pillows, they provided a better option than the stone floor did beneath them. From her rough landing, she already knew she was lucky she didn't break anything and was only going to get away with a few sore bruises. She groaned inwardly before she slowly pushed herself to sit up. At one glance she could see the faint light of a candle that coated the room in a yellow orange glow and there leaning against the wall by a large doorframe with his arms crossed in front of him was Altaïr.

"A little notice would have been nice," she grumbled, reluctantly pulling herself up to her feet.

"What is this, Altaïr?" an older voice sounded behind the still Assassin. Ann faltered even in her own words as another man stepped through the doorway and into view. He wore similar clothes to the silent Assassin, but in addition he wore a long dark robe that draped loosely over his shoulders. His mouth, though somewhat hidden from the thick white whiskers of his beard, frowned at the very sight of the girl.

"Have you learned nothing, Altaïr?" the old man turned to the other hooded figure. "Are you not sent here to redeem yourself and remember the creed by which you stand by? Why have you exposed us to an outsider?"

_Redeem...? Remember the Creed...? _Ann glanced back toward Altaïr for a brief second.

"She is already familiar with our Brotherhood," Alaïr's voice was calm, though it held a cool undertone. "She insisted on coming here without my mentioning of you, Rafiq."

"What?" Old eyes turned back to the young girl in astonishment. He took a few steps toward her, eyeing her cautiously though his demeanor was calm and gentle. "What is your name, child…?"

"Ann…," she softly spoke, already nervous when the old man's eyes glanced down at her rather peculiar dressing.

"How is it that you've come to know of us?"

"I've worked along side you Assassin's before," she answered honestly. It was all she could do to maintain her ground, worrying over the very words she would speak. She couldn't just tell them that she's from the 21st century and witnessed through her bloodline what the Order of Assassin's has accomplished throughout the centuries.

"Impossible. You do not work with the Brotherhood unless you are part of the Brotherhood. We do not risk exposure or compromise our Creed," the Rafiq spoke quickly, his brow knitting together in wonderment.

"Does that exempt family…?" she fought to maintain confidence in her own words. She wasn't lying technically as her ancestors through the Animus were Assassin's themselves. She still found it hard to wrap her mind around all of this, but how else was she going to go about it? Panic and flail around the cities like a lunatic crying out for the return of her own reality? If there was one thing she learned at all it was that she was to adapt to her surroundings despite what thoughts or beliefs of hers would try to prove things otherwise. Maybe this was a dream, but if that was so then it would not have been this complicated, right?

The Rafiq fell silent for a moment, studying her as he stroked the length of his beard. She knew she couldn't ask him to trust her right off the bat and believe what she said, but what other options did she have other than hope that he would not order for her own termination?

"I will need to bring this to the attention of Al Mualim…," the old man turned on his feet to retreat back to his study. "We will see what he has to say about this situation." He paused as he stepped beside the Assassin still leaning by the doorway. "And what of you, Altaïr? Have you found anything else about your target?"

The young man's sharp gaze instantly turned toward Ann. "I still need to investigate more."

The Rafiq merely exhaled a gentle sigh before he retreated back to his study. "Then rest, the both of you. I will send a message to Al Mualim and we will continue this matter in the morning."

Ann watched him disappear to the next room and could feel a wave of relief once more, though there was still the underlying tension left in her as her gaze shifted back toward Altaïr's. She could already tell that he wasn't so keen on assisting her here especially when he had a mission of his own to fulfill and she only got in the way of it all. But what else could she have done? At least she could make the effort and try to be of more help than distraction, right? Though acting on her own and not within the mental guidelines of the Animus, how easy was it going to be for her to take on the abilities of an Assassin?

"I do apologize if I've delayed your search in any way," she broke the silence, hoping that maybe they could at least start out on a clean slate. Altaïr, now moving and walking past her to climb the wall and close the gate of the entrance to the Bureau, scoffed lightly at her words.

"If?" he muttered after pushing himself off the wall and moving to the pile of pillows at the far end of the room from her. Ann's brow furrowed at his words.

"Look, I know we started off on the wrong foot and I had no intention of getting in the way of anything—"

"Then don't and stay out of my way." His back to her now, he began to slip the weapons off his back, placing them lightly on the ground by the large cushions.

"You must not have a lot of friends…," she grumbled, catching the glare from Altaïr before she turned her own back to him and removed the pack that contained her violin from her back, setting it by the fountain. Even as she brought herself to at least sit back down, she could already feel the sore tenderness of her arms, legs, and hip that impacted the ground first from her trip. One glance and she could see the Assassin already settled against the wall at the other end of the room, his hood concealing his face entirely.

She gave a small sigh as she tried to relax back against the pillows herself, letting her gaze drift upward to the lattice work that shielded the Bureau, catching the glimpse of stars through the wooden work and vines.

This was going to be a long night…


	5. Chapter 5

Dawn bathed the city in its glistening rays and the streets were already beginning to bustle with life as the merchants began to set up their stands, beckoning any passerby. Even as the sun rose and the population began to expose itself all the more, none of them suspected anything. Even as guards under Templar authority patrolled the streets, occasionally taunting and bullying the innocent, none of them ever thought to look up. They never had a chance to see what hit them before it was too late.

_This will be quick. Nothing is going to delay me from my target any further. I was not about to stick around the Bureau and wait for that woman to wake up and put me out of my way again. Whatever more questions she might have, Jabal the Rafiq will be able to answer._

_The warm breeze brushed by me as I crouched over the ledge of a building. The sun was not too high in the sky to shed too much heat and there was never a better time to make my move than now when the light was not so harsh. Not too many people, the chance of listening into the gossiping parties proved to be more fruitful._

"Garnier de Naplouse is a good man!" a voice cried out.

A smirk curled on his lips.

"He means only to help! He's sworn an oath to serve and save. A promise he won't betray."

Altaïr jumped from the ledge and into a secluded alley, using his momentum to roll in his landing before he could throw himself back up onto his feet with ease. Silent in his moves, his head held low to avoid the gaze of anyone that saw him. The voice grew louder as he entered the square. It was impossible to mistake the man as he bellowed out to the crowd though none paid him any mind. Save for one.

The man began to move from his post, going about his own business when he finished his speech, unaware of cool amber eyes that followed him. Knuckles tightening and popping against the palm of his gloved hand, the Assassin's followed his target.

.:*~*~*:.

A man who claims to be one of healing. A man who takes those that are perfectly fine and then throws them into a world of torment. A man that loses himself in his work and delights in the pain of others. A delusional target guarded by archer's on all sides and by all doors. The only ones granted the freedom to pass into the chambers of Garnier's hospital were the scholars of Acre.

_The time is not coming fast enough for this man to meet his end by my blade. I have acquired all the information I need. Merely hours and the sun already hanging high in the sky, my mission is nearing its completion. Before, this would be over and done with a lot faster if it were not for the strip of my rank. Reduced to a novice. An Assassin of perfect skill and this is what I am forced to face._

_The chase and retrieval of what was taken from me even when all I did was my best to see through the mission my master entrusted me with. Even though it got out of my hands… and Kadar was lost… and Malik had lost his arm. I did what I could, but it was not good enough._

_The very thought brought a sickening kick with it and the bitterness swelled in my chest as my fists clenched tightly at my sides. This is what I had no choice but to resort to. _

_A mere flick of the wrist and my hidden blade snapped forth. The unsuspecting guard that lingered atop the building had the misfortune of his post being too close to the Bureau as I moved in. Just as I came up behind him, I jumped forward, tackling the guard to the ground as I drove my weapon into the back of his neck, severing his spine with the most satisfying crunch my ears could catch._

_As I slowly straightened back up, sheathing the blade at my wrist, the frustration in me had subsided just enough for me to relax. Though even I knew this would only be temporary until I could erase each name from that list Al Mualim had given me. Until I could rightfully carry my proper title once more._

_I moved closer to the Burearu, making it to the very rooftop where the entrance lied, awaiting for me to slip through the latticework. I had just set foot on the ledge when a soft string of notes reached my ears, pausing me in my movements. A soothing tone… similar to the very sound I had heard amid the city just yesterday before I met that girl. I felt a lull in my own thoughts as I stood there listening to this strange sound. I did not even realize it when I had found myself inside the Bureau that I had dropped back into the building without being consciously aware of myself, slowly drawing closer to this foreign music._

_And just as I barely managed to move further inside, I stopped. The music had trailed to an end._

"That was beautiful…," the Rafiq, Jabal, spoke from the other room. "That instrument, it's so peculiar, I have never seen anything like it before. Where did you get such a thing like that?"

A faint, somewhat nervous chuckle came from further inside the room. "It's the only one of its kind here…" A subtle knock of wood setting against a table surface was heard before she continued. "An old friend of mine gave it to me several years ago."

"A precious gift such as that, I wouldn't bring it too much attention."

"I promise," she started. "I have no intention of doing that."

"Good. Especially if you may be associating with our Brotherhood, you do not want to be drawing too much attention to yourself." Altaïr's brow furrowed as he moved further in. _Associating…?_ "You're already a risk to us as it is… but if Al Mualim deems you otherwise, then perhaps we will get to see more of each other. I would enjoy hearing you play again. I would think even you would enjoy listening to her play, Altaïr."

Though unfazed by his appearance, Jabal had barely glanced up from the book he was writing in as the Assassin stepped into view. At the other end of the room, barely visible in the peripheral of Altaïr's eye, Ann stood carefully setting her instrument back in the bag she carried it in before. Already he could see that something was completely different as she was no longer dressed in those oddly cut garments she was wearing the last time he saw her, but in clothes similar to his own, save for a more simple red sash around her waist and the plain black robe that draped over her shoulders. Her hair still remained free and untamed as it fell over her right shoulder, gathering together in loose silky waves.

"You intend for her to return here?" His words came out brash as his eyes snapped directly toward her from underneath his hood.

"Al Mualim has requested you to bring her back with you to Maysaf." A faint twitch of his lips was enough to express the Assassin's displeasure. "Someone outside our Brotherhood but well acquainted with the Creed, it must be done to ensure she will not be a risk to us all."

"I would know of a better way to ensure she is no ris—"

"And if she is innocent, would you want to carry that suggestion on your head especially when you have been demoted to this level because of your brash decisions?" Jabal was quick to cut Altaïr short at the escalate of his behavior. Altaïr's only form of response was the clench of his fist. _Yet another obstacle to get in my way._

An uncomfortable silence filled the room until Altaïr would turn his back to the girl, letting Jabal gain his full attention. "I have found all that I need for Garnier…"

.: :.

It was not long after Jabal had presented the feather for Altaïr's target did the Assassin leave the Bureau. Though promised that he would wait until nightfall to make his move, the brute himself did not wish to linger.

"He sure is friendly…," Ann muttered after his leave before she turned her attention back toward Jabal. "There's no changing that attitude of his, is there?"

"Altaïr is a magnificent Assassin…," Jabal answered. "One of exceptional skill, once a great Master Assassin. I do not hold him entirely responsible for his behavior for now as he is coping with his loss of that respect and fighting to get it back."

"What caused him to lose his title as a Master Assassin in the first place…?"

"Arrogance is not a trait that will carry one forward, but pull backwards. Altaïr fell victim to that and saw himself above the Creed he was meant to embody. He is lucky he still has his life and was offered a chance at redemption, though I wonder if he will learn to overcome his own greatest obstacle."


	6. Chapter 6

_The streets were calmer now. Guards passing by paid no mind to me as I walked among the people, able to mind my own business and take in my surroundings more properly. In the rush of everything I was not even sure as to what year it was, but it was clear enough to me that I was nowhere near close to the 21__st__ century._

_I glanced through the merchant stands from afar, not wanting to draw too close to anyone or stir any kind of interaction, and pulled the black robe's hood closer to my face. Unsure of what country, what year, or even what century I was in, there was no way I would even begin to know what the proper role a woman was to take on. Not one that would be very much in my favor to begin with, I'm sure of that. I got lucky with both Altaïr and Jabal. Speaking the English language and not questioning my mannerisms save for maybe a quick tongue which has proven to be a little more difficult to bite back than I originally thought. _

_Fortunately, from the sound of things other than the occasional guard snapping at someone, I was able to understand almost everyone around me. Was I in Europe or something close to it? I did hear French a couple of times… among a few other languages. _

_Ahh, focus, Ann! Focus! How do you ask someone what city you're in along with what year is it without looking like a delusional person that needs to be thrown into an asylum? What on earth did they even do to someone who even seems remotely crazy here? My mind was already flashing back to the history of asylums from my psychology class, throwing the images and videos of what terrible experiments and medical methods people believed to work wonders but in fact only made matters worse for the patient. _

_My jumbled thoughts were distracting me too much now. What if this was just another simulation other than the Animus that I was in? There were so many possibilities as to what was going on and it was beginning to drive me mad! But I must maintain composure while within the public eye… Never draw attention to yourself, especially in a place like this. A deep breath in, a slow exhale. Don't let your emotions get the better of you… don't let your emotions get in the way—don't you even think about crying!_

_As if on command, the corners of my eyes began to sting, threatening to let those pesky droplets fall down my cheeks but I was quick to rub them out before they could allow themselves to build. I stopped in my steps for just a moment as I casually rubbed the substance from my vision. The sun still rested in the sky, though it was gradually drooping closer to the horizon with each passing minute, and people still filled the streets going about their daily lives. Surely they were too busy to even bother taking any notice to me as I casually 'rubbed the dust from my eyes' _

_I was about to push myself forward once more, making the attempt to leave the square when suddenly someone shoved against me, purposely pushing and throwing me to the ground. _

"_Ah!" I landed in the dirt on my hands and knees, but quickly scrambled to get back to my feet out of fear of it being a guard that had spotted me! But alas, as I turned around, it was just a man, tall a lanky, hunched over and mumbling incoherently to himself as he wandered aimlessly in circles. It was like he didn't even see me at all one moment and then the next he lunged at me once more, shoving me by the shoulders before I could back away._

"_H-Hey!" I stumbled backwards, expecting to hit the ground but instead backed into someone. My heart leaped in panic and I spun around to apologize to whomever I fell into but my voice caught in my throat as I looked into the face of an angered soldier. _

"What's this?" he growled, his lips curling into a dangerous smirk. "Such insolence from a woman, you will learn your place!"

"I-I'm sorry!" she stammered, stepping back in fear of what was coming. People were already backing away as a few more soldiers stepped toward the man's side. "I-I swear, I didn't mean anyth—"

"You dare talk back to me!" the soldier spat, snatching her by the arm before she could put any more distance between them. "You will pay dearly for your disrespect!"

"Ah-!" One of the other soldiers were already making their way towards her, reaching out to take her other arm and ensure their capture, but she quickly jerked herself back before his hand could draw close. She twisted her captured arm enough for her hand to grab her capture's wrist while she used her free hand to jut toward his face, jabbing him in the eye and forcing him to release his grip on her.

"AGH!" He jerked back, clasping one side of his face with both of his hands and the rest of the soldiers withdrew their swords.

"Little bitch!" One of them called out and that was her cue to run. She bolted the instant her arm was free from the man's grasp, running and zigzagging around the people of the square. "GET BACK HERE!"

She dodged around a group of people, swiveling through each person as she desperately searched for any leeway of escape. She leapt out of the square and swung herself around the corner of a building. The streets were still full of people and she was lucky to run around them with ease while the men pursuing her continued to ram into them. She had always learned to be light on her feet and to find ways to make your body go where you wanted it to thanks to her years as a skilled performer, though even she wondered just how long she could keep a chase like this up!

"GRAB HER!" the voices cried out and just as she realized a guard was standing nearby in the street, she narrowly escaped the swing of his sword after her, slicing through the end of her black robe that flew loosely behind her. He called after her in a tongue unfamiliar to her and more nearby soldiers joined the chase.

_No no no! What am I going to do!? _Panic and the chances of throwing them off and outrunning them long enough find a place to hide was dwindling into single digits. Another turn here and another one there and soon she found herself unintentionally running up a large staircase toward a tall overbearingly dismal building. A large diverse group of people resided at the top of these steps. Men draped in white robes, keeping their heads low and their hoods concealing their faces, deranged people barefoot and meandering around with tattered clothes barely hanging on their form, and more guards with their hands resting on their swords.

Alerted of her presence, the men that were guarding such a large fortress swung their swords out with ease, cautiously moving toward her. Her feet skid to a stop and her heart pounded so loud it was all she could hear resonating against her eardrums, deafening the calls of the other soldiers catching up to her.

One of the men securing the building moved towards her, ready to strike or grab her at any given moment. The sounds of their feet shuffling on the concrete ground beneath them and the air fighting desperately to fill her lungs, she could not find it in herself to move! The clicks of metal growing louder behind her, it was not until one of the guards from the archway of the overwhelming fortress snatched her arm and she reacted.

Eyes snapped wide, a sudden intake of air, and her mind went blank as her body moved on its own. She used the guards weight against him as she rammed herself into him, tackling him over and knocking his sword away from his grasp. Another nearby guard immediately darted after her and she jumped to snatch the fallen guard's blade off the ground and threw it up in front of her to block the oncoming guard's weapon before it could fall down on her head.

Startled by this, the very actions of a woman, the guard threw his sword back and swung it back around to hit her side, but she ducked and swung her own blade into his thigh, making him cry out in pain as he collapsed to the ground with blood spraying profusely from the artery in his leg and staining the cobble stone beneath him.

The blood hitting her cheek was enough to snap her mind back to reality and she gasped, dropping the sword. The man was squabbling and rolling on the ground crying out in pain and the rest of the armed forces had caught up to her. "N-N-No n-no!" she panicked, her voice quiet for the first few stutters. "S-Stay away from me!"

She sprinted to find another escape path away from the area, desperate and hopeful she can still make it out of this alive, but just as she managed to clear a few more yards away from her pursuers, the remaining guards from under the tall arched doorway of the fortress had snatched her, snagging both of her arms and jerking her backwards off her feet. Imbalanced, they threw her up against the stone block walls, nearly knocking the wind out of her.

"Little wench, you should not have done that," one of them snarled before they threw her back and onto her knees, their grip on her arms bruising and constricting all the more to prevent her from pulling any more tricks.

"P-Pleas—!" A hand slapped her hard against her cheek, knocking her head away from her assailant.

"SILENCE!" Her eyes widened as the other guard drew back his sword ready to strike. She jerked herself back as far as their hold would even allow her, snapping her head away from the very sight of the blade. There was nothing holding the tears back now. _This is how it was all going to end! Alone in a strange world and time with nothing—no one to call out to for help, just another pathetic human whose existence could be easily decided like the fate of a bug with just one blow._

"ENOUGH!" a voice was all it took to make the guards freeze where they stood. "What is going on out here? What is this?"

"This wench just took down one of our men!" One of the guards spat, his grip threatening to snap the bone in her arm in half. "Ran in here like a maniac and just before we could get near her, she snapped and attacked us!"

Hesitant, Ann dared to tilt her head just enough for her jade eyes to peer up at the man who had unintentionally extended her lifeline. His old tired eyes met hers and his mouth frowned at the very sight of her as he stepped toward the men who restrained her. Her entire body was trembling, terrified at what they were going to do by this point as her muscles grew numb from her excursion. How much longer did she really have left before he even gave the order 'off with her head'!?

The old man's eyes slowly trailed down her form and gradually back up until the locked with hers once more. "Remove that hood of hers. Let me see the face of our little terror." Ann just barely opened her mouth to say something before another guard came up behind her, snatching her hood and throwing it back before his hand snatched a handful of her vibrant red hair to jerk her head back up for the old man to get a clear view of her face.

She yelped in pain and protest from the guard's brash actions and her eyes shut tightly as the tears spilled freely down her face. "Open your eyes, woman!" the guard to her left snapped. She reluctantly obliged, opening her eyes once more to see the man before her and the orange sky behind him as the sun was finally disappearing behind the horizon. He looked at her quizzically for a few moments, his brow knitting together at his thoughts.

"Bring her inside," he finally spoke. "I believe our newest patient needs more help than she realizes."

Her eyes widened and the guards abruptly forced her back up, not caring if she found her way to her own feet or if they dragged her after them. "Ah—No!" she cried. "Let go of me! You all came after me—I've done nothing wrong!"

"Be quiet!" the guard retorted, smacking her up side the head making her yelp and stumble over her feet as they drug her forward.

"You do have a lovely voice when you cry out," the old man spoke, sending chills down her spine. They pulled her over to one a vacant cot deep inside the structure and threw her onto its surface. She struggled to jump out the other way but her evasive attempts fell short as one guard balled one of his fists and punched her straight in the stomach, making her lurch forward and forcing the air out of her of lungs. Weakened and temporarily immobile, they pulled her back on the cot, tying her arms and legs down.

"Now now, my child," the old man cooed as he stepped over to her side. "Not to worry. I am a man of healing. I am sorry you have found yourself in such a poor predicament, but I can assure you, you will not find any better aid from anyone else."

"I-I beg to differ…," she struggled to say in a weak voice. The man waved his hands to the guards around them, indicating they return to their posts.

"My dear child, you do not understand, but soon you will see."

"No, you don't understand! I don't belong here, now let me g—!" His hand had snatched her face, squeezing the sides of her face to prevent her from uttering another syllable.

"Choose your actions wisely, lest you wish to make this path to recovery harder than necessary and I assure you, a frail girl such as you, you may not make it to the end." His hand pulled away from her face, only to pull a tiny scalpel from his belt. "Now, hold still and this will not hurt too much."

He moved towards her, the tiny blade resting in waiting in one hand as the other reached out to loosen the robes around her collar, but just as his fingertips could brush against any exposed skin, a blur of white had come up behind him. There was no time to react as it all happened so fast. A hand clasping the old man by the throat and a hidden blade shoved in from the side and into the ribcage, puncturing the lungs of the now doomed deranged doctor. A gurgled gasp and a stifled voice as blood began to fill his throat sounded and Altaïr pulled his body back to the floor.

"Altaïr…!?" Ann struggled to pry her wrists free from the restraints, but to no avail. Cries began to flood the room and patients scattered, running and flailing sporadically in terror and the guards began to run back toward the scene. "Altaïr!"

He did not respond at first, taking his time with his kill, but soon jumped back to his feet and he shot his hidden blade free from its sheath once more. He wasted no time cutting the ropes free from her form, slicing the very last one just before one of the guards could reach them. Guard advancing, he swung his sword free from its hilt and collided it against the oncoming attack, letting the blade swivel against the other sword before he could lunge it forward in a counter movement, piercing the body straight through the heart.

"Go now!" Altaïr called back to Ann, pointing toward a ladder off to the side of the room before he swung his blade back at another soldier that jumped into the scene. Ann made no protest as she hurtled herself off the cot, but before she ran, she took one of the knives the now dead guard had as Altaïr fought off the oncoming men. Before anything else could happen or anyone could get a hold of her, she bolted toward the ladder Altaïr had directed her to, climbing as fast as her tired muscles would allow her until she reached a high wooden platform.

Frantic, she spun around trying to find her way of escape, but no solid path could reveal itself! Save for the wooden beams that stretched across the room and her stomach sank. _How am I going to get out of here exactly!? _One look back and she could see the slew of soldiers running through the terrified patients and scholars, charging straight for Altaïr. Already he had taken down several men, but even a skilled Assassin like him can only take on so much at once! He was backing toward the ladder she had taken but there were still too many guards that prevented him from getting him away completely.

_Come on come on! Think of something, we need to get out of here now! _Her eyes looked fervently around the area, struggling to find something that could be of some help! But what could she even do from up there?

And then her eyes landed on it. One of the most clichéd tactics any film could depict, but even on that held a great chance for success if timed right. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves as best as she could, praying that this will work somehow. She backed up against the wall, trying to calculate the right movements to see this through. _One. Two. Three! _She ran to the edge of the platform and leaped over to the nearest beam. She had no time to stop if she didn't want to risk falling and cracking her skull on the floor. The second her feet touched the beam she jumped forward again, landing atop a large wooden chandelier.

She snagged hold of the rope as the fixture swung from her weight. She kept a tight grip on the line and looked down below just in time to see Altaïr backing away from underneath it as several guards swung their blades at him. Just as he had backed out far enough, her eyes snapped back to the rope in her hands and she climbed up off the chandelier until she had enough space between her and the wooden structure. By this point, it was only the guards gathered below and there was no better time than now to do this.

Using the knife she had plucked from the dead guard, she swung it into the twisted cord. She was only able to partially embed the blade into the rope, but it was enough for her to hastily saw through the rest of it. A snap, another, and then another, she could hear the strain of the cord's strands fighting against the weight of the chandelier until it popped completely free and fell onto the guards below. The sudden jolt had knocked the knife from her hand and she gripped the end of the rope as tightly as her fingers could allow her, a loud crash sounding beneath her.


	7. Chapter 7

Candles snapped and wood splintered as the structure collapsed on the unsuspecting men below. Altaïr was already a safe distance back, though surprised by what had just happened. His eyes darted upward and there was the very girl dangling from the rope that held the very chandelier that now lied on the ground in utter disarray. She had bought them time, just enough to make an escape before the soldiers could recuperate themselves.

He sheathed his sword and ran over to the ladder she had used earlier. The very instant he was on the upper platform he jumped across the beams, using them to draw as close as he could to Ann. The only landing she was remotely near to was another wooden joist just on the other side.

A glance and he could see her hands were beginning to lose their grip and he carried himself as fast as he could muster to the very end of the joist, using one hand to grab onto one of the wood posts it was nailed to that lined the interior walls. The other hand he extended out to her as far as he could reach without throwing off his balance. "Swing!" he commanded.

"The ropes too short!" she called back. "I can't swing that far!"

"Swing to throw yourself!" he snapped back, growing impatient as some of the men below were pulling themselves back up to run toward the ladder. Ann didn't say anything in protest though hesitant as she was, she used her legs in effort to swing the rope toward him. Little at first, she managed to get the line to sway a good few feet just as some of the guards made it to the platform and started to leap out onto beams.

"Jump now!" Altaïr ordered. Swinging back, she moved with more effort to make this final sway count. Just as the rope had swung her with enough velocity back toward him, she let go. She didn't think she would make it; it was too close of a call to make! But it was pure luck that her hand managed to reach out to his and with a powerful pull he forced her onto the beam. His arm now taking hold of her waist to make sure she didn't fall off the other side, he held her tightly against him, barely throwing a glance back toward the soldiers.

"W-What now…!?" she managed to find her own voice, but Altaïr made no remark as he pulled his arm back from the wall post and hoisted her up completely in his grasp and jumped off the beam to the next one until he could get them both to the next platform that held the exit just for them. His feet were fast as he ran out and jumped clear out of the building and landed roughly on the cobble stone street below.

A grunt was his only remark from his efforts as soon as they cleared the establishment and he dropped her back onto her feet as soon he pulled himself back up. Though free from his hold, his hand clenched onto her arm to pull her forward into a sprint. The sun had already disappeared from the sky, but there were still the remaining fragments of light that filtered through the city. He pulled her with him, weaving through the few startled people that still remained outside.

Another sharp turn and an abrupt halt, Altaïr used his hold on her to throw her into a large cart piled high with hay before he too jumped inside, their forms disappearing completely within the straw.

"Alt—!" His hand clapped over her mouth, silencing her from making another sound. It was at that point, amid the guards yelling and running frantically through the streets and the struggle to regain her breath, that she even realized the bells ringing loudly across the city. Even at that, she pushed his hand off her face, bringing his attention straight back to her looking on through narrowed eyes. She knew better than to make any sudden movement, much less any sound that could potentially give them away, but the gaze between them both screamed in high volumes.

.:*~*:.

Chimes sounded softly as gentle wooden clicks as two people descended into the large room of the Assassin's Bureau. The last one in, Altaïr, dropped onto the fountain with a heavy thump under his feet before he stepped down onto the floor. Ann had already begun to back away from him as soon as he was on the same level as her, sensing this was not going to be a very sweet conversation.

"Just what were you thinking running out there and getting yourself into trouble like that?" His voice snapped before he even turned on his heel to face her directly.

"I wasn't looking for trouble! I was jus—"

"You certainly a skill for that. If you truly worked with the Order of Assassin's before then you would know better than to draw attention to yourself like that."

"It was an accident!" she tried reasoning, her own frustration beginning to build. "I was trying to figure a few things out for myself, next thing I know I'm being thrown into a group of guards by some lunatic, so sue me!" His brow rose in confusion from that last remark, but he soon looked past it.

"Just what was so important for you to risk going out there and nearly getting yourself killed for?" She bit her lower lip, struggling to find an answer. "Well…!?"

"What does it matter, it's over with now." She turned completely away from him, her arms crossing in front of her. "We made it through so just drop it already." She could hear his fingerless leather gloves tightening before he snatched her by the shoulder and forced her to face him once more.

"You do not pull something like that again," he spoke coolly. "I might not be able to save you next time. You're enough trouble as it is."

"Well then, that would be a load off your shoulders then now wouldn't it? Then you'd be free of someone like me 'getting in your way' again." She saw his jaw clench as he fought back the anger that was threatening to lash out.

"What is all this noise?" Jabal called out from the other room. Altaïr took in a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves and took a step back from her. His eyes did not sway from hers even as Jabal appeared in the doorway.

"Garnier de Naplouse is dead," was Altaïr's answer as he pulled a blood-soaked feather from the pouch around his waist.

"An awful lot of arguing for a successful mission, is it not?" Altaïr merely shrugged his shoulders, not wanting to dwell on the previous topic even as Ann began to give him a quizzical look.

"There is something else," Altaïr added.

"Speak it then, or would you have me read your mind?" Jabal had turned back into his room, stepping behind the counter to pull out a large book. "Is this what all this disruptive behavior is for?"

"What do you think Garnier wanted from these people?" Altaïr followed the Rafiq into the other room with Ann trailing close behind, eyeing Altaïr for a mere moment. "That he would keep them and experiment on them as he did?"

"Yours is not to ask but act, Atlaïr. It doesn't matter what he did or why, only that he's dead."

"But Garnier seemed to believe he was helping these people."

Ann faltered in her step as her mind trailed back to the man who came so close to her with the scalpel. An old man that, to her, seemed to like he might be a person who genuinely wanted to help… but the second she was pulled into that despicable hospital of his, all thoughts of that went away. _That was the Garnier de Naplouse he was to kill?_

"Is that what you saw?" Jabal had taken a pen, dipping the dry nib in a jar of ink before he began to scribe into the large book the happenings of today's event.

"No… What I saw was not a place of healing." Ann shifted her attention back to Altaïr, almost surprised to see a calmer side of him as he spoke to the Rafiq. Though he had a point, trying to understand why Garnier did what he did… but even in her own modern sense of things, she would see Garnier as someone that was crazy himself, but on a much more intellectual level. The one type of a delusional person that would usually carry some sort of power to their name alone and always one that you had to look out for beyond the usual lunatic.

"Then why are we having this conversation?"

"I… I don't know," he faltered in his own words. "Forget I spoke of it."

"I already have," Jabal answered. "Was this worth such a heated words?"

"Forgive the disturbance, it will not happen again," Altaïr shifted, starting to move back to the resting room, gaining only a sigh from the Rafiq as he finished writing the report.

"Do not forget, Altaïr," he added, stopping the Assassin before he could make it to the doorway. "You are to bring Ann to Al Mualim upon your arrival."

Ann glanced back toward Altaïr who kept his back toward them, though his head barely tilted back to acknowledge he was spoken to. She imagined he was none too pleased once more though she could not see his face beneath the hood, but he gave a short nod. "We will leave within the hour."

With that, Altaïr disappeared from sight. Though Ann remained still for a moment, looking toward the doorway he had gone through, she began to wonder why the Assassin dropped the matter all together on their argument earlier even when Jabal had brought it back up.

"Were you able to find what you were looking?" Jabal had caught her attention and she turned her gaze back to him as the older man pulled the large book back into its place behind the counter.

"Not exactly…," she answered, a small smile coming over her face. _Only that I'll be going to Masyaf before long… But I still have no idea where that even is so I still don't know where or when I am. I never really took a geology class or looked a map long enough to even begin to wonder where a city by that name would reside in. _

"But it's not a big issue," she added, a smile pulling on her lips as she moved toward one of the tables in the back where her violin still rested. "I'm sure I'll find it before long."

"I shall hope that you do," the Rafiq spoke. "Safety and peace upon you, Ann."

She turned back to Jabal once she had double-checked the security of her violin and pulled the bag back over her head and across her shoulder and torso. A warm smile formed on her lips as she responded. "Safety and peace upon you too, Rafiq."

.:*~*:.

The cool air had now settled over the city and Ann was more than grateful that the Rafiq, Jabal, had given her some clothing that would at least help keep her warm against the cold rigid night. To her own relief, walking the streets with Altaïr brought a whole new sense of security. Though there was still the occasional guard amid the rooftops, they were able to walk freely within the dark.

Once they managed to sneak outside the border of the city, she remained close to Altaïr's side as they came over to a stall where a tall white horse stood, idly grazing the hay strewn across the ground. Not a word passed as Altaïr hoisted himself up onto the horse. Ann, though fascinated by the animal, became hesitant even when he extended his hand to help her up.

"Is there a problem?" It was the first thing he said since they left the Bureau.

"No," she answered quickly, finally reaching up to take his hand and climb up onto the horse.

"Then why do you hesitate?"

"I…," she slowly managed find her spot on the saddle behind him. "I've never ridden a horse before." She could almost hear the amusement crossing his face.

"Then how did you get here in the first place?"

"I'll let you know when I figure that one out…"

Silence fell over them for a few moments as he led the horse away from the stall, moving toward the main road away from Acre. He kept the pace steady, but not too slow as they moved out into the country. She began to wonder to herself exactly what she was going to even begin to say to this Al Mualim once they enter Masyaf… Will he be tolerable and understanding? Or will be believe her to be a threat and kill her on the spot? There were still too many thoughts, too many questions circling in her head for her to even begin to worry over.

"Do you at least know where you came from?" Altaïr's voice broke through her train of thought, making her look up to the back of his hood.

"It's not a place you'd be familiar with," she answered.

"That's not an answer," he grumbled. "Give me a name."

She heaved a sigh. "Atlanta, that's where I came from."

"At…lanta?"

"I told you that it wasn't a place you'd be familiar with." She could almost see the frown forming on his face even with his back to her, but the thought brought a small grin to her face. She figured he was probably mulling the very thought over in his mind, pondering just how far this Atlanta was and where it was exactly. At least with this, she could distract herself from dwelling too much over her own predicament.

"How far away is Masyaf from here?" she asked, her eyes turning skyward to see the brilliant stars that littered the night above them.

"A day's travel," he answered blankly.

"What's it like there?"

"Tranquil."

"Is it anything like the city we were just in?"

"No."

"Is it just as populated?"

"No."

"So then it's a smaller city or more spread out?"

"You ask too many questions," Altaïr grumbled, catching a faint chuckle escape the girl behind him.

"Is it such a bad thing that I like do know where I'm going?"

"Must your answers be in the form of a question?"

"Only if I need to know something, wouldn't you agree?"

"Now you're just doing that on purpose."

"That's not a problem, is it?" She wasn't positive, but she thought she could have heard him chuckle.

"You think it wise to test an Assassin's patience?"

"Well, you haven't killed me yet so I'm still in still in the clear, right?"

"Doesn't mean you'll get an easy trip."

"Huh—Ah!" He flicked the reins and commanded the horse to jump into a gallop, nearly making her fall back off the horse before she grabbed hold of him, her arms wrapping around him and holding on tightly as the cool wind wiped pass them. "H-Hey!"

The clap of the reins and before she even knew it, he had the horse leap over a fallen tree, but it did not slow in its gallop. The sudden jolt forced a squeal from her and her hold on him tightened. It didn't help at all that she couldn't see very well even with the dim moonlight shining on the long dirt road ahead of them.

"You're terrible, I hope you know that!" Even though she could not see his face, she knew very well that he was enjoying this too much.

"That's what you get."


	8. Chapter 8

She wasn't sure when, but somewhere along the way she had fallen asleep. A long day's travel and even with daylight shining on their backs, there was a moment where peace and exhaustion stood together hand in hand. For a moment, she had forgotten where she was. Even if the lull of slumber was sweet and always alluring to the tired eye, its intention was never a promise of absolute tranquility.

A dream so gentle and serene as it could be. The strum of the bow against strings of her most beloved instrument. The bright lights above fading and dancing in abundance with varying colours as she moved. The audiences' applause as she twirled with her music and those most cherished by her sitting up front in center. Her mother, father, brother, and one most trusted friend… Who else could she ask for to see her in her element? Where she was most happy?

But even as most dreams can be filled with what one desired most… so can they too be filled with what is most feared. She did not take in account his presence until the lights fell and everything was shrouded in darkness save for him. Music falling flat in her own fear until she spun around to see him directly before her. Him alone… with his white hood and robes swaying in a fluid motion behind him with a life of their own. Eyes hidden, he seemingly held no expression even as he moved, extending his hand toward her.

But she was hesitant. A second too long and just as she moved to reach for him, the ground below was jerked from under her, leaving her to fall deep into the black abyss. Her landing, though rough, called light back into her vision, revealing guards, soldiers, Templars, and strange men surrounding her with blades, whips, and arrows pointed directly at her. Why, even Lucy and Vidic were there towering over her! Lips curling back over sharp teeth, they reached for her.

Even in her cowering to escape, hands from all around her grabbed at her arms, legs, even her head to restrain her as they closed in. No amount of struggling would save her even as the large knife found its place against her throat. Tears stinging her eyes, she opened her mouth to scream, to cry for help but her voice was nowhere to be heard! Even as she looked upward as the blade began to slide into her skin, she caught the fading glimpse of Altaïr watching above her in her last fleeting seconds of life.

All became dark… and then white.

Her eyes snapped open and she gasped in panic as she found herself falling off the side of the horse! But before she could fall completely to the ground, hands from below had caught her by the shoulders, stopping her before she could slip off entirely. Atlaïr, who had already dismounted from his horse despite her use of him as a pillow, stood bemused as he held her in place.

"U-Um," she stammered, her cheeks tinting a faint hue of pink as her eyes locked with his beneath his hood. "A little help getting down, please…?"

"You're more trouble than you're worth and you mumble in your sleep," he remarked, continuing even after her pout and attempt to voice against him. "For someone who's supposedly worked with Assassin's before, surely you know how to land on your own feet." He released her from his grip.

"Ah!" she gasped, falling forward straight to the ground. The only thing to stop her from throwing her face directly into the ground was her hand that grabbed a strap of the horse's saddle, incidentally flipping her body over until she fell roughly on her derrière, nearly knocking the wind right out of her.

"Th-," she struggled to find her own breath as she struggled to pull herself back up. "The hell was that for…!?"

"You're reflexes are poor," he answered bluntly.

"Well excuse me, sir," she growled. "but I was not trained to be an Assassin!"

"Then what were you trained for?"

"That should be obvious! And I would appreciate it if you don't pull a stunt like that again!" Though his hood shaded his face, she could see the quirk of his lips in amusement from her little outburst.

"Quick to use that tongue of yours. You need to watch it before you speak to Al Mualim." He turned, leaving her by the horse as he moved toward the large gate that was securely nestled between two tall ridges. Ann barely paid much attention to her surroundings as she double-checked on the safety of the violin still strapped to her back until another man had approached her.

"Safety and peace, my friend. Are you alright?" he asked. Ann managed a smile. _At least there is still some chivalry here._

"Yeah, I'll be alright," she looked toward the man who had approached her, finding that he too was dressed in the signature white robes of the Order of Assassin's. Here was proof that not all of them were brutes like Altaïr!

Even as she had said that she would be fine, the man walked along side her to the gate where Altaïr had disappeared through. She looked around the area, suddenly looking on to the city in awe. Everything was uphill from here. Cottages and market stands lined the base of a mountain and even a quaint fountain sat in the middle of the bustling square. The streets here were much more spacious than the last city she was in and even from the atmosphere here itself, she could feel more at peace and not worry of some guard picking on her. As her eyes trailed upward, there at the very top of the mountain was the large castle-like fortress. Flags decked in red and white with the Assassin's symbol undoubtedly marked this structure. Though it took her a moment to realize that she now stood in the city of Masyaf, there was one thing she had just now noticed was missing.

Eyes darting to the left and then to the right then finally up the hill to the streets that wrapped around the center buildings beyond square, she realized Altaïr had disappeared entirely.

"He does that," the man who had taken the liberty to escort her into Masyaf himself spoke up. "Altaïr is always in a hurry to tell our Master of his success."

"How considerate of him…," she mumbled under her breath, keeping her tone low before she turned back to face the man. "May I ask you where I may find Al Mualim…?" She could see the man's brow rise in bemusement. "I was brought here to see him."

"There," he lifted his hand, pointing to the large fortress on top of the mountain. "You will find our Master in his library. Go in peace, my friend."

Ann smiled warmly. "Thank you, my friend." She turned on her heel and started up the long sloop to the mountain's fortress.

The trip felt more tedious than it seemed. A constant slop upward and even though she was used to performing, it was always on level ground and this she could already tell it was going to take some getting used to. The people of the city here paid it no mind as their years living here had already proved them more fruitful than the average citizen in the last city she set foot in. The more she moved upward, the more she realized why the Assassin's had their settlement here. It made perfect sense as they would always need to keep themselves in check.

Already she was getting some stares from the people around her. A new comer, an outsider, what place would she have among these people? Even the brilliant shade of her hair was enough to set her apart from everyone else around her and left her to stick out like a sore thumb. Someone who performed in front of crowds for a living now felt the intense pressure of all eyes on her and there was nothing she could do about it—no protest she could voice without stirring trouble.

She kept her head low, avoiding eye contact at all costs until she came up to the very path that would take her to the castle-like structure. Her pace she kept slow and even as she climbed the sloop, bypassing the men that spared by the gate, though she could hear the clanks of their swords soften as they noticed her. Still, she pretended not to notice. The passage continued into the first towering set of walls that wrapped around the top of the mountain entirely, concealing its domain. Once inside, she could see the vast square before her right in front of the building's entrance. Younger men practiced their skilled swordsmanship against each other under the supervision of another higher ranked Assassin. There were a few average civilians up here, though they remained around the ring, observing those as they practiced their skills, but there were more Assassin's here than there were down at the main gate.

Hesitantly, she moved to the only stairwell that would lead to the large doors of the building. Her hand barely taking hold of the railing as she looked out over the sparing men and continued in her steps. She was fascinated in the their movements, watching how each would strike and the other would counter, how they would block or twist their way out of the others grasp. It was almost difficult to pry her eyes away completely until a voice brought her to a stop, snapping her attention back to the Assassin standing before her.

"This is no place for a woman like you, it would be best if you turned back now." His skin tone was dark and his hair was cropped short. Though his words would seem sincere, the harsh abrasive undertone of his gaze was more prominent than anything else.

"I'm here to see Al Mualim," she finally spoke, fighting back any sense of intimidation this man may be trying to pull. Though her words only seemed to pull laughter from his lips.

"Al Mualim? Are you one of our newest additions to our garden?" he stepped forward, already making Ann grow tense in her stance. He stepped too close for comfort and his hand took her by the chin, tilting her face to the side for him to get a decent look at her features. "Surely, you will stand out the most of our concubines. I may need to see to it that not too many people steal you away—"

"You will not touch me!" she snatched his wrist, jerking his hold away from her face as she glared up at him. "I will be nothing of the sort to you or anyone else here." She could see the scowl quickly forming over his face, his hand retracting as if to slap her for indiscretion.

"Al Mualim has ordered me here," she quickly spoke before his hand could snap forward and she jumped back a few feet from him. "Please just let me pass."

"I have not heard of any woma—"

"Abbas." The man froze but the scowl on his face twitched in tension. "Leave her be. I brought her here to see Al Mualim. What she says is true."

"And what a poor job you do in keeping watch over the ones you bring here, Altaïr." With a slow turn, Abbas looked back to the former Master Assassin with a malevolent smirk. "But then again, what else is to be expected from a novice?"

Ann could see the fists by Altaïr's sides clench, but the man made no effort to say anything against this Abbas. Instead, he moved around him to Ann's side, taking her by the arm to pull her along side him. "We will not keep Al Mualim waiting."

"Of course," Abbas snickered. "Best not continue disappointment."

Not once did Altaïr sound his voice against Abbas, but only hastened their pace until they reached the library. His hand left her arm and he moved toward the staircase leading to the second level. "Come."

Ann's pace had slowed as she watched Altaïr walk ahead of her. Even from the short time being around him, she could already see what happened to him hit him harder than she initially thought. He carried himself well during his missions, but just the subtle reactions by themselves shouted his frustration. _The Rafiq said he broke the three rules of the Creed… But someone of his age should know better than to go against what he had lived and trained for most of his life, right?_

Her thoughts were cut short as she came before the very table Al Mualim stood behind. Tall and dressed in dark robes, his essence stated that of nobility and authority. He turned toward her and Altaïr with one good eye focusing on them. His mouth, she could only make out as a fine line under a thick grey beard.

"So this is the girl the Rafiq has mentioned in his letter," he spoke, his voice deep and rigid. "In what way do we say your name, my child?"

"Ann Elizabeth Delaney…," she answered.

"A foreign name…," he mused. "You are not an Assassin, yet here you stand before me with knowledge of our Creed. Jabal has mentioned you have family members that are Assassin's themselves?"

"It is through them that I knew… but they have been gone long ago." _That's no lie… though I do not know if they are in the future or even before this time period. To me, they've been dead for centuries. _

Al Mualim eyed her in suspicion as he paced behind his desk, slowly bringing himself around the side to step closer to the two. "And so you act on your own. Do you realize the risk you pose against our Creed?"

"You have my word, I will not do anything to compromise the Brotherhood. I have no reason nor any desire to bring anything against you. Rather, I wish to work with you and your Brotherhood." Though she did not turn to look, she could see Altaïr shift, setting his gaze on her.

"Beautiful words, however meaningless." His eyes shifted, spotting the handle of her instrument that rested just over her shoulder. His eyes narrowed, trying to make sense of the object. "What is that you carry…?"

Ann faltered for a mere second, wondering if it was wise to even mention her instrument more than she already has. "It's… my violin, sir. I am a bit of a muscisian."

"A bit…?"

"Playing music is not my only profession, but one of several."

"Be that as it may, a musician, much less a woman as frail as you has no place in our Brotherhood. I am sorry, my child, but we cannot take that chance. We know nothing of you, a strange girl we have never seen before suddenly wishing to join us in our efforts against the Templars. For all we may know, you could be working with them. Why do you wish to even join us? What is the real reason to you being here?"

"I-I… I don't know," she tried to keep her voice level. "I don't know where I am or even how I got here. Why I am even here in the first place, I don't know, but surely there must be a reason, shouldn't there? I know nothing of anyone or anything here for that matter—what use could I be to anyone outside of this place? The only thing I know of is of the Creed. You fight for peace, do you not? I do not wish to pose any threat against you, but only to work with you because your Creed is the only thing here that I understand and that maybe by working with you, I too can learn why I am here in the first place! Please… Please let me be of use."

It felt like an eternity before he would speak. His gaze soft as his eyes watched every emotion that flickered across her face, but his face remained unchanged. "I am sorry… But I simply cannot permit it."

Her mouth opened to say another word, but her voice fell short and her heart sank. What else could she do…? Her gaze fell to the floor as the wisps of despair slowly began to take hold of her.

"Her words speak true, Master."

She felt her heart skip and her gaze immediately turned to the man next to her.

"She has said before that she used to work with other Assassins," Altaïr proceeded. "And while I was successful in taking the life of Garnier, she has proven herself in skill. Though unorthodox, she has aided me against soldiers and taken out the men guarding Garnier's hospital. Like she said, she has other profession than that of music."

Al Mualim looked on in thought at the young Assassin. "And what is it that you are requesting I do, Altaïr?

"Simply a leap of faith," he answered. "Let her prove herself in your eyes and work with us under supervision until she has rightfully gained your trust."

Even as silence fell and Al Mualim was giving this serious consideration, Ann could not look away from the man next to her. This man, who seemed eager to get rid of her at first was now striving to help her. But then again… Her eyes widened at the thought. _He saw me from the very beginning… From the moment I was under attack and fought to defend myself to the very second he rescued me from the hands of Garnier. He saw everything… Even when I was barely even aware of what I was doing, he was there the whole time!_

Now that she thought about it, ever since they had returned to the Bureau, his demeanor toward her had changed. The air of hostility subsided to some degree. Did he gain some respect for her by chance? Did she prove she was not completely useless as she felt she was now?

"Very well." Her gaze snapped back toward Al Mualim. "We will see just how well she can be trusted. She will be properly equipped with the weaponry and uniform of a novice rank, but there is one condition."

Ann felt her breath caught in her throat and Altaïr remained unfazed.

"She is to accompany you in the remainder of your list of targets. Whether she can prove herself worthy or of risk, her fate lies with you."

"That is unneces—!" Altaïr tried to protest against the matter.

"Did you not ask for a leap of faith!?" Al Mualim cut him short. "If she is as you believe now then a partner is what you need most to help guide you away from any more mistakes you may bring. You are off to a good start, Altaïr, so do not think that this decision holds no meaning behind it. If she is as true as she says, then she will help you reclaim what you have lost."


	9. Chapter 9

_This is really me this time, isn't it?_

_Countless times before lying in the Animus, I have caught glimpses of 'my reflection' whenever looking through my ancestors eyes. Always dressed in similar wardrobes, a signature red sash or belt with white clothes and the infamous hood to conceal my features. This time, it was not their faces that dawned the person in the mirror before me. Jade-coloured eyes staring right back at me and my hair falling in a brilliant red braid over my shoulder, escaping the darkness of my hood. I was able to keep the black leggings I had when I first entered this world, finding these would allow me to move much easier than what they had to offer here. The white robe fit my form a bit better than the last set I had on, the fabric falling into long flaps behind me, but kept a short length in the front, reaching just above my knees. The thick leather boots reached halfway up my calves, hugging my legs but with enough room to keep two daggers tucked away in each shoe. The sleeves, while remaining snug around my arms, reached all the way down to my wrists before disappearing into black fingerless gloves. A belt that rested over the red sash around my waist, held several different sized pouches as well as a sword of proper length for someone of my petite form. _

_Of course, I kept my violin securely placed in the bag that wrapped around my shoulder and torso. I had no intentions of leaving my violin anywhere without me standing nearby, even if I supposedly could just leave it here in Masyaf… I did not trust that anyone would grow curious and investigate something that hadn't even been invented yet. _

_I heaved a sigh and pulled back the hood, letting it fall back atop of the bag with my violin. I hope that this will work out… I still have no idea as to why I am here and by this point, I am fairly certain that I am not in the Animus. I would have been pulled out by now, wouldn't I? But even if there is no real reason to being here, what else could I do? Wander around the streets aimlessly like a beggar? I wouldn't make it… at least with a stroke of luck, I crossed paths with the Order of Assassin's here. At least here, I have a shot even at its smallest measurement at anything._

_No, stop thinking that! You cannot keep focusing on WHY you're here. You need to start focusing on what you can do here—what you NEED to do. And what you need to do is walk out those doors go to Altaïr… You have a mission to work through after all._

_I took in another deep breath of air, slowly letting it slip back out before I turned on my heel. There's no delaying it now. It's time to get this started._

.:*~*:.

The clangs of metal cut through the air almost as sharp as the swords they sparred with in the ring. Ann had just set foot outside of the building, coming up to the railing that overlooked the entire practice ring. A man, barely reaching his twenties, was moving in on his opponent, clear even to her that he was making his moves too early. The man's opponent could not be mistaken for anyone else as his hood always remained perfectly in place and his moves were more fluid than she had ever seen displayed in anyone else. He countered with grace and precision, never letting himself fall too short or too late. His sword blocked the younger man's attacks, swinging his blade away from him before he would move in, and jabbed the boy in the chest with the butt of his sword to knock him back. It was the third time that the boy fell over did Altaïr sheath his own blade.

"That, my children, is how we all should fight," another man called out. Ann could feel a smile tugging over her face as Altaïr moved out of the ring. He truly did know his way around the sword—far more than what she believed herself capable with. Sure, she had experienced life in the battlefield through her ancestor's memories, but did she really understand what it meant to fight with a powerful weapon?

He moved away from the novice's training ring, pausing momentarily for his eyes to scan through the crowd and along the staircase as if he was looking for something. And then his eyes fell on her. He was still though otherwise unaffected as he spotted her before he motioned to her with his hand, commanding her to come to him.

It was when she pulled back from the railing and made her way down the staircase to meet him that she even realized the looks from the other Assassin's around her growing in number in her peripheral vision, but she tried to pay them no mind.

"You take too long," he bluntly stated, turning away to take their leave.

"Well sorry, this is a bit of an adjustment."

"Sounds like an excuse, don't waste my time with that."

"And we're back to the wasting time bit…," Ann sighed as she followed him. "Do you always need to be in such a hurry?" She was answered with narrow eyes glancing back to her over his shoulder. Their walk down through the city of Masyaf was relatively quiet as they moved around the citizens, though he kept a longer stride that left her hurrying after him from time to time. It was not until they had slipped past the gate and Altaïr handed her the reins to a black horse did words reluctantly pass her mouth.

"Y-You want me… to ride a horse?" she nervously started when he forced the reins in her grasp when she was moving too slow for his own patience.

"How else do you expect to learn?" He turned away from her, moving over to his white horse and effortlessly pulled himself up onto the saddle.

"I-I'm not objected to learning!" she spoke quickly, keeping her eyes on the horse. "I just…"

"Want to waste more time." There was a sarcastic twinge in his tone as he waited patiently, sitting atop his horse. She could see the smirk tugging on his lips as she shot a glare back toward him.

"Why on earth would I want to waste more time?" she shot back, shifting over to the horse's side to take hold of the saddle and try to hoist herself up. Just as she was able to get even half of her weight off of the ground, the large animal shifted, nearly making her stumble and fall right back to the ground. "In fact, you're not helping me out is what will make us waste any more time than necessary!"

She could hear a sigh as she made another attempt to pull herself up onto the horse. Her grip started to slide again, but before the horse could shift its stance, a hand had snatched hers, pulling her up effortlessly until she could properly set herself on top of the horse.

"That is just sad." Ann glared back at him before she adjusted herself until she was sitting comfortably in the saddle.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that since I'm sure where I'm from, I'd be saying the same thing about you."

"Your mouth is still something to get used to," he grumbled. "And I do not have time to teach you how to rid—"

"Just steer your horse, I'll observe and learn from what you do." He shot her a look, though whether she could make it out as frustration or amusement, she could not tell before he pulled on the reins, turning his white horse away from her and toward the road. Her eyes watched the movements of his hands and legs as he turned the horse, taking each notion into account before she turned back to the black horse waiting patiently beneath her.

A deep breath and she tugged one side of the reins, applying a hint of pressure to the other side of the horse with her leg to tell it to turn. Of course, the sudden shift of the horse almost startled her, but it was quickly replaced with a bright grin as she was getting the animal to move. _Yes! This may not be too bad now._

Of course, that thought may have come too soon as soon as she was able to get the horse outside onto the main road. One look and she could barely make out the smirk on Altaïr's face before he snapped the reins to his horse and the animal leaped into a powerful gallop away.

"H-Hey!" _You've got to be kidding me! _Hesitant and reluctant, she tried to mimic his actions, commanding the horse to run after him. It reared, taking her by surprise though lucky to stay on, before the large animal bolted. She yelped and clung onto the horse for dear life, trying and praying she would not fall and that she could still steer the animal.

.:*~*:.

The day was surely a long one, especially with the overbearing sun blaring its intense rays overhead. What made it even more so stressful were the few times that Ann had fallen off her horse. Though fewer falls than she or even Altaïr expected, she was starting to pick up the basics of riding a horse. At least the last time she fell off the horse, she was able to pull herself up, albeit slowly, onto the horse without the help of the stubborn Assassin. She had to wonder if he was enjoying her goof-ups in horseback riding.

At least the slow trots through some of the villages out in the Kingdom were more tranquil, despite the uneasy feeling she got when passing by some of the guards. Altaïr even had his own method to ride his horse through without disrupting the peace of the settlements they passed through as he relaxed his pose and moved the horse as calmly and peacefully as possible. This was how most of the day was spent as well as long into the night until Ann was struggling to fight away the sleep the long hours started to weigh against her. Though the chill of the night air kept her from passing out on the spot, she pulled her hood back over her head to keep the freezing breeze away and allowed slumber's grip strengthen.

By that point, Altaïr had taken the reins from her hands, guiding her horse alongside his as he continued on through the night and allowed her to doze. "I swear I don't see how you can keep going on…," she mumbled softly during her last moments of consciousness. She could hear words coming from his mouth, but her world was already shutting down and anything spoken was all but lost to her.

Light did not even rekindle her vision until well into the next day. How long she was out, she could not tell, but from the sun resting high in the sky she could tell daylight had already spent several hours. Another thing she began to notice was that the horse beneath her was not moving and the white horse stood next to her rideless.

"Altaïr…?" she muttered, but the cries of men jerked her attention before she could even take in her surroundings. The shouts alone were enough for her to jump off her horse, spinning around until she could pinpoint where they were coming from. She ran around a stand, searching frantically for what was going on. Before she even realized it, she ran into what looked like a large cemetery where the sounds of a fight were coming from.

It did not take long until she found the guards fighting the very Assassin she was looking for. Three men already lied on the ground, flailing and squirming from the fatal wounds that poured their blood out onto the grass beneath them. Her hand gripped the hilt of her sword, but she stopped herself from acting, seeing that Altaïr had complete control of the situation up until the very last man fell lifelessly to the ground.

But there was still a cry… emitting behind her and growing louder as she spun around to see yet another guard charging straight toward them. His sword held high, he was ready to swing, but she reacted without a second thought. Sword pulled free, she spun with a powerful swing and her blade slashed right through the guard's throat, leaving him to drop to the ground with a loud thud. It took her a second to even rationalize what she just did, but the blood dripping from the end of her blade was proof enough that what she did really happened.

Eyes glancing down at the man and then at her own sword, it chilled her to the very core to even acknowledge that she had just taken a man's life! Witnessing it in the Animus was one thing, but to actually act completely on her own was a different thing.

"You seem surprised?" Altaïr's voice broke her train of thought.

"I…," she started before she quickly shook the thoughts from her mind. "It's nothing." She flicked the blood off her sword before she slid the weapon back into its sheath. One glance and she could tell that Altaïr did not buy her remark, but instead turned back to a man standing a few yards back. His clothes were similar to hers and Altaïr's but there was no sign of weaponry on his person at all.

"Oh, thank you, sir!" the man exclaimed in relief. "I owe you my life and I will see to it that I can return the favor to you."

"Help us into Jerusalem, that is all I ask," Altaïr was more benevolent than demanding in his tone like Ann almost expected of him.

_Wait… Jerusalem!?_ Shock flickered across her face, though she tried not to let it show. _Jerusalem… Jerusalem, the capital of the Jewish Kingdom and Israel? The Holy City, Jersualem!?_ Her posture had grown stiff, though she fought to contain herself. At least now she knew where she was in this world, but never did she dream that she would come anywhere near the infamous Holy City!

"Of course, it will be an honor. I will be sure that my brothers assist you both inside whenever you need." The white robed man pulled back, hurrying away and leaving the two behind. Ann watched him leave before she turned back to face Altaïr, but his gaze was locked directly on her.

"What…?" she started, growing uncomfortable with his stare. He did not say anything, though his eyes continued to examine her for what felt like an eternity until he shook his head and he started to move past her.

"You do know how to hide in plain sight?" he asked. Ann felt a wave of relief. "Or did you not learn that in your previous endeavors with other Assassins?"

Her brow furrowed before she soon followed after him. "Why don't you just continue to lead by example, I'll figure things out on my own observations. Or do you have another smart-aleck remark for me?"

He shot her a glance, pausing only for a moment in his steps. "Do you enjoy making such remarks? Where does a woman like you even learn to speak so freely?" He turned on his footing, facing her directly. "Some words or phrases you use are ones that not even I have heard before."

"I-I told you already," she stopped just a few feet away from him. "I'm not from here so it's only to be expected that I will act differently compared to what you're used to." His eyes narrowed, scrutinizing her closely. While her words were truthful, there was something else going on that she was not voicing and he was sharp to pick up on it. Whether he would call her out on it or not was another question entirely.

"Hn." He turned back away from her, moving toward a small group of men, of scholars, that had gathered not far from where they were. "You will learn how to blend with those around you. Scholars are one of many we can hide among. Shall you choose to act now or let your powers of observation delay you?"

She shot him a glare.

It was like a simple notion. His head would lower and his hands were brought together in front of him as he casually stepped into the group of scholars. As if on cue, the scholars began to move, walking in such a slow motion as they turned to face the entrance of Jerusalem. Ann made sure not to delay before she too would casually slip into place, close to Altaïr's side as she took on the same posture. The motions were slow, but she kept her head low, letting her hood hide most of her face as she walked with them. She did not wish to look up, fearing the risk of any guard making eye contact with her. The only way she could even tell that they had passed through the gate successfully was when the sunlight had disappeared behind the large structure.

Light fell back on them and the volume of a crowd grew. Though she was still hesitant to look, she was unsure when it was even safe to leave the safety of the scholars until a hand pulled her out by the arm. That was when she could finally look up, taking in the very sight of Jerusalem herself. She could still hardly believe that she was here. Here! Standing in all places, the Holy City itself.

"You're losing focus." Once more, Altaïr's voice had interrupted her thoughts and she snapped her attention back to the Assassin next to her, looking at her with a raised brow.

"On the contrary, I am quite focused."

"Then don't fall behind." His grip released her arm and he turned out to the streets, walking freely among the people. She grumbled inwardly to herself before she followed after him, occasionally letting her gaze wander to the side for a brief moment or two, but she made sure to keep close.

_I'm in Jerusalem… I still can't believe it._

.:*~*:.

Ann stared upward, unamused. She had followed Altaïr through the city for a while now, but now came to the point where he actually scaled the side of a building to get to the rooftop.

"I thought you said you could observe and learn for yourself," he remarked once he realized she was not behind him and turned back to look to the street below.

"Yes, observe and learn," she grumbled. "But there are some 'lessons' I know I cannot do!" This time she could clearly see the smirk on his face.

"Then what better way to learn than to try?"

"You want me to fall and break my neck, don't you."

He snickered, that much she was sure she heard. "Come around the corner. There's a ladder." _Figures. _Ann turned, making her way around the building until she finally spotted the ladder and climbed her way up onto the roof. But there was something that struck her as odd. Even as she reached the roof and approached his side, he did not leap into the Bureau first like she believed he would.

"If you're going to be coming with me on these missions, then you are going to need to learn how to climb."

"Yes, master," she added sarcastically, but her humor was met with a hand snagging her arm and jerking her toward the entrance of the Bureau. "Hey!" Her voice against his actions proved fruitless as he pulled her into the building, dropping her once he had lowered her down enough inside before he jumped into the large resting room.

"Is it too much to ask for a little warning before you do something like that?" she grumbled, lucky that she landed on her feet. Though Altaïr did not respond to her, instead focusing his eyes on the doorway to the next room. She looked up, realizing still that there was something different going on here. "Altaïr?"

He did not speak still until he moved toward the doorway, setting foot into the adjacent room. "Safety and peace, Malik."

"Your presence here deprives me of both," a voice sounded. Already, Ann was beginning to see why Altaïr was a little more reluctant about entering the Bureau. "What do you want?"

"Al Mualim has asked—"

"Asked that you perform some task in an effort to redeem yourself. So be out with it." Ann stepped into the doorway, but not daring to move into the room itself. The Rafiq of this city was much younger than the last one, but filled with more anger as well. He kept his hood back, not trying to conceal any part of his face as he paced back and forth behind his counter. It was when he turned to face Altaïr directly that she noticed his left arm was missing.

The man, Malik, turned away from the Assassin once more, not even so much as wanting to look at him, but that was when his eyes fell on the girl in the doorway. "And I am to assume this is the one Al Mualim has mentioned that will accompany you on your assignments."

Altaïr barely even nodded before he pushed further on his own matter. "Tell me what you can about the one they call Talal."

"It is your duty to locate and assassinate the man, Altaïr. Not mine," Malik glared back toward him.

"You'd do well to assist me. His death benefits the entire land."

"Do you deny his death benefits you as well?"

"Such things do not concern me."

"Your actions very much concern me!" he snapped with his only hand gesturing to the stump of an arm attached to his shoulder.

"Then don't help me! I'll find him myself." Altaïr moved to take his leave.

Malik sighed, frustrated. "Wait wait. It won't do having you stumble about the city like a blind man. Better you know where to begin your search."

Altaïr stopped, standing not too far from the doorway. "I'm listening."

"I can think of three places. South of here in the markets that line the border between the Muslim and Jewish districts, to the north near the mosque of this district, and east in front of Saint Anne's church."

"Is that everything?"

"It's enough to get you started," he snapped. "And more than you deserve."

A simple nod was the only thing Altaïr gave in response before he moved pass Ann and back into the resting room to take his leave.

"Do yourself well and keep your distance from that man." Malik's voice caught her attention before she could turn to follow the Assassin. "It's bad enough that a woman is to take on more than necessary of herself and work as an Assassin, but it is like a death sentence that you are to work with him." One glance and she could see Altaïr's fist clench tightly as he waited for her to join him, keeping his back to her.

"Well…," she started, briefly turning back to Malik. "I guess I'll just take a leap of a faith with him."


	10. Chapter 10

_A leap of faith…_

Those words repeated in his head consistently throughout the day. Even through his tasks of learning the habits of Talal and his men, he found that even his gaze would drift back toward this unethical yet intriguing girl. He could not tell if this was a comforting thought or just an oncoming migraine as time went on.

He withheld a sigh after he finished beating the information out of one man before he turned back toward Ann. "We are done here," he declared to Ann, carefully pulling his hidden blade free from the man's abdomen as the body slumped lifelessly to the ground.

"Are we…?" she mused, stepping around the body of the man they had just interrogated. "Do we really have enough information to go on from here?"

"For now this will do," he sharply responded. "So I advise you to go back to the Bureau. You can inform Malik of what we learned, but there are a few things I still need to do myself."

"Such as…?" She looked at him suspiciously.

"You are a novice. You need not question my choice of action."

"Yet why do I feel like that is just a distraction from something else here?" His eyes narrowed toward her.

"You have learned enough for today and there are some things that I will do on my own." His voice was curt and sharp even in his hushed tone. "You will only weigh me down. Now return to the Bureau. When it is time to take Talal's life we will go, but your part is done here."

Her lips curled into a frown. Though she did not voice her opinion further, it was clear enough by the expression on her face that she did not agree nor wanted to comply with his demand. Though his expression never wavered. No change. Not even so much as a blink as they stared each other down with clench fists. Will against will.

"Fine, boss," she grumbled. "Whatever you say."

He watched her turn away, walking back down the alley they had followed the defenseless bloke into until she disappeared from sight. At least the Bureau itself was not too far away from their location and nestled just around the corner. Surely, she would be familiar enough with the area by this point to get back without a problem. Now he could find some peace of mind for at least for a little while… at least he hoped.

A nearby ladder and he made a quick escape to the rooftops once more, a sense of ease settling in him as he could move more freely and much faster than they could on the very streets below. Even now it was much easier to take the life of the occasional guard. Blood staining the surface of the buildings from the swift swing of his blade, this was what he was made to do.

And then there was the tall structure before him overshadowing all other buildings of the district. He ran, using his momentum to throw himself up the wall until he could grab at the first ledge. It was all he needed to pull himself up to the next protruding decoration that would allow him to climb to the very top of this tower-like building. Reaching the top, though with a little time, was the easiest part as he climbed onto the wooden post and perched himself right at the edge. The gentle breeze whisked against his robes and his eyes could take in the entire city. The rich district though beautiful still held many dark secrets within it. The Bureau not too far off, the mosque…, and even the very warehouse he could spot from here where he knew Talal was keeping his slaves in. Though it was still a good distance off, he needed to inspect the other high points of the city to better acquaint himself with the city layout.

_The death of this poor excuse of a man could not come soon enough, and with his blood… so will another rank be rightfully restored. _

.:*~*:.

Ann grumbled incoherent words under her breath as she moved through the crowd. Her fists still clutched at her sides from her pent up frustration and her eyes glowering to the ground as she walked, it was the only let-out she could manage without drawing attention to herself. _I suppose I should be grateful for a little 'break', but am I not supposed to work with him through his missions? How am I going to learn how to act like a proper 'Assassin' if I'm just going to be sent back 'home' like an adolescent child? I can take care of myself—I can keep up…! Sure I can't run across rooftops very well… and have a bit of a fear of extreme heights… But I can still keep up! If anything, we have a little bit of a time on our side so would it not be better to help me learn the ropes a little more? Practice at something to make sure that I can begin to get the hang of how things go here instead of taking it all in by chance?_

She was only a mere block away from the Bureau when Altaïr had departed. The very building itself was within sight as she stepped around a merchant stand. But the games with fate always had an alternate route for its occasional unwilling players. A hand shot out just as she passed a small alley, snatching her arm. She nearly cried out in surprise, ready to snatch the sword at her hip, but the other hand was quick to cover her mouth.

"P-Please, my broth—!" Another man dressed in white hooded robes was at her side, struggling to regain his breath. Though his face was mostly covered, his eyes stood out in panic, and soon confusion. "W-We have a sister of our Creed…!?" His hand withdrew from her face, knowing that she was not going to cry or give themselves away, but his attention was quick to shift frantically to the people around them.

"Who ar—ah!" the brother had pulled her off to the side, fearful of any guards that may be lurking nearby.

"I-I did not know a woman could be a part of our Creed—but please, I beg of you, I need your help!"

"Okay okay, take it easy," Ann spoke, hoping to calm the man. "What's going on here? What do you need me to do?"

"I-It seems that I've made some enemies…," he stammered at first, but he was quick to collect himself. "Al Mualim as asked that I overshadow the slave trader and I did… but not well enough. He discovered me and I've been running from his men ever sense." His eyes lowered almost in shame that he allowed himself to fall so low as to allow himself to be exposed. "I need to get out of the city, but I can't do it alone. Help me and I'll share what I've learned with you."

There was a hint of hesitation on her part… Though she believed she could guide him to the exit of the city with no problem at all, the thought of encountering the guards essentially on her own was still a horrifying thought considering her luck with the ones in the last city. But how could she turn down this man, a fellow brother of the Creed no less, that fears for his life? Surely if she was in his shoes, she would pray someone else would bestow her the aid she would so desperately need. Besides… she managed to fend a few armed men off before… perhaps she will be lucky even now and not encounter too many guards.

"Okay," she answered, seeing his eyes bright up in overwhelming relief. "I'll help you out of the city."

"Oh, thank you, sister!" he exclaimed, though keeping his voice level to avoid drawing any unnecessary attention to them. "I cannot thank you enough for this." This brought a smile to her lips despite her own worries about getting around some of the armed men patrolling the district. Hopefully with some luck, she would not have to worry about too many fights, if any, breaking out.

Walking him through the streets, staying close to the walls that lined the streets, started out smooth and simple at first. There were not too many soldiers in the street they started in, allowing them the chance to move out to the adjourning alleys. From what she could see, the exit was not too far off and the further they moved along, the more she believed that nothing was going to happen to them. Confidence was quickly replacing any worry that took hold of her even if she had to keep a relatively slower pace to make sure her fellow comrade would not fall too far behind.

She peered around one corner and pulled back, motioning to the informer that he should stay where he was behind her as she spotted guards walking down the intersecting street. They passed, not noticing them as they meandered out into the main crowd and she glanced back to the hooded man with a notion that it was safe to continue to make their way across the street. Another alley, and a sense of security began to settle in once more until the path took a turn and two soldiers spotted them.

"Infidel!" _Shit…_

The informer panicked, reluctantly jumping back to cower around the corner. It seemed that even he wondered how well a woman, a sister of the Creed, could possibly handle herself.

The guard charged and Ann pulled her sword free, swinging it up to block the first strike. Oddly enough this fight felt completely different from the last few times she had to wield a weapon… Before she fought for the safety of her own life. Now she fought to protect. Fear had no room to squeeze in.

The guard held his stand, side stepping around her to figure out his next strike. The other guard was already beginning to close in from the other side, surrounding her in the tight space the alley provided. Even still, she remained calm and her head low enough so the hood covered her eyes from their sight. One suddenly moved to her left, bringing his arm in for the full swing, but she ducked forward, spinning on her feet underneath the blade and slashed straight through her oppressor's knees, making him cry out as he fell to the ground flailing hysterically.

"You will pay for that!" the other guard had snatched her by the robes of her collar and threw her off her balance and into the next to them wall, aiming to crush her skull against it.

"Ah!" Her hands were quick to block any impact with her head, but she could hear the guard rearing up behind her to ram his sword straight through her. She pushed herself off, spinning out of the way just as his blade struck the wall. "Die!" He jerked his sword back and lunged straight at her but she only jumped out of the way once more before she subconsciously slung her own sword down, slicing the man's hand off.

"AH—!" His scream was cut short as she kicked him in the gut, knocking him back against the ground before instincts took over and she jabbed the sword straight through his heart, silencing him forever.

"L-Look out!" the informer called out, but just as she had enough time to look back a sharp piercing pain shot against her side. "AH!" she fell back against the wall, clutching the side of her waist as blood began to spill into her palm. The other guard, though lying crippled on the ground and writhing in agony, had a crossbow tightly clutched in his grasp and with a trembling hand tried to load another bolt.

She acted fast, pushing herself off the wall and jumping away just as the next bolt fired, barely missing her by a hair before she could run her sword straight through him. Crossbow in hand dropping lifelessly to the ground, she was leaning into the hilt of her sword that still remained embedded in the guard's chest as she tried to regain her breath.

"You're hurt…!" the informer pulled himself free from the wall, rushing over to her side.

"I'll be fine…," she managed, forcing herself to stand up straight and pull the sword free from the corpse. "It just nicked me, I'll be fine."

"But will this not make traveling difficult for you?"

She merely turned to him with a smile pulling over her lips. "I'll be fine… Please do not worry about me. Besides, we are almost to the exit."

She surprised even herself with each passing second as she helped the informer make it to the gate of the city. She refused to let herself dwell on the wound at her side, but she was all the more grateful that the blood was barely noticeable thanks to the red sash tied around her waist. At one point, she did take a moment to tighten the sash to better constrict the blood flow, but that was when she realized this wound was a more than just a nick like she initially thought. From what she could tell, or feel as she moved, the bolt had shot straight through her. Though it was too far to the side to hit any vital organs, it tore through muscle and was going to leave more of a mess than a simple scrape would have done. But that she did not let the informer know even as they came up to the city gate.

"Thank you, dear sister!" he exclaimed. "Here, take this map." Reaching into the folds of his robes, he pulled out a small folded piece of paper. "It lists Talal's hiding places—useful information should that coward choose to run instead of fight. And from what I know of the man, run is what he'll do."

This brought a smile back to her face as she took the map from his hands. "Thank you, this is more than I could ask for."

"No, I owe you more for what you had to go through," he insisted. "Our only sister and here you have already suffered on my behalf for my protection. Should there ever be anything you need, know that I am in your debt."

"Thanks, but…," she tilted her head curiously. "I don't even know your name. So who would I even begin to turn to?" Though she could not see his face, somehow, beneath the fabric that covered every feature save for his intense brown eyes, she got the sense of a smirk pulling over his lips.

"Do not worry about that," he took a step back, ready to take his leave. "You are our only sister, surely I will see you first."

And there he took his leave of the city as her brow furrowed quizzically though for only a brief moment. She glanced back down at the map in hand and slipped it into one of the button pouches around her belt, careful not to shift too much from the wound at her side. She bit her lower lip from the slight shift against her wound and turned to slip back into the city.

The trip back to the Bureau felt a lot longer compared to the first time they had slipped through the gate. Though she remembered how to get back, it was the painful pulse in her side that was delaying her. How she managed to even make it through the crowd unnoticed was beyond her as she eventually came up to the very ladder leading to the rooftop of the Bureau.

Reluctant as she was, she gripped the ladder and began to make her ascend to the roof, wincing at the sting that would shoot through her every time she moved her right side. Though making it to the top was the easy part… as she looked over the very entrance to the Bureau, she dreaded every second of it. Even as she carefully sat herself down by the edge and gripped onto the lattice work to slowly lower herself in, it was all she could do to silence her own whimpers as she hung from the entrance with her feet still dangling several feet off the ground.

_One… Two… Three._ She dropped, landing roughly on her feet but the impact was quickly met by her doubling over, groaning in pain.

"Back already?" she could hear Malik's voice from the other room.

"Ah-," she was too exhausted to even bother with words as she struggled to pull herself back up to her feet.

"What is this now?" Malik's voice hissed. It was not until she managed to slump over to the doorway did his demeanor change completely. "You—what happened?"

"A little help," she managed, clutching her side. "would be nice if that is not too much to ask."

.:*~*:.

_The air was starting to get cooler and tints of orange began to colour in the sky. I was successful in scooping out the entire district and even rescuing a few citizens in the progress. And now… I knew exactly where Talal was. My eyes were locked onto the very structure of the warehouse where he kept the slaves. So close… and yet I was restricted to this post, knowing fully well that my want to take out this disgusting slug of a man here and now had to wait on the Rafiq's command. Malik's command. With this, and even the time of day, it was likely that I was going to have to wait until the next sign of daybreak to even begin to finish this mission. _

_And then the thought of her coming along with me… Periodically throughout the day, I could not tell if I was getting more exhausted or frustrated at the very thought of her invading my own mind. She could only delay me, get in the way, get into trouble, or worse get herself killed. And yet here I was the one that helped insure that she would not simply be cast aside… Whether Al Mualim would have her restricted to Masyaf for the rest of her life for knowing too much or just throw her into their 'garden' to live 'freely' as one of their newest 'concubines', I was unsure, but something compelled me to help her. Here she was fighting to find her way, possibly the only way, to understanding anything here… I cannot even begin to imagine what it might be like to find yourself in a world completely foreign with no one or nowhere to turn to… I had to admit, how she has even managed to hold herself up this far is admirable. Maybe she wasn't as terribly annoying as I first thought… Or perhaps I am the one losing my own sanity._

_My eyes shifted back behind me, looking over the city before they fell on the building of the Assassin's Bureau off in the distance. She had to still be there… at least I hope she was. The streets of Jerusalem were not bursting out into utter chaos so what was there to worry? _

_Me…? Worry? _

_This was getting out of hand… If something were to happen to that girl, then it would be on my head. Even if Al Mualim did not see her as someone he could trust or even equal to a brother of the Creed, the fact that I stuck my neck out for her to begin with reared its own consequences. I've already gotten into trouble over what happened at Solomon's Temple and if that girl decided to screw up then it would be my responsibility. Though her fate with the Creed rests in my hands… it would not cast a favorable shine on me if she died._

_But then again…_

_I moved from my perch, walking swiftly and silently across the plank linking the rooftops together. My momentum started out slow until I had cleared sight from the warehouse. The streets were beginning to darken and I did not have to fight to keep my image hidden as much as I did during the day. From scaffolding to roof to post, I leapt with ease, almost with the sense of gliding with wings strong like an eagle—nothing could stop me. Not until I reached the Bureau. _

_My feet met the surface of the entrance and once more did I find myself stalled before the very drop into the building as a sweet melody told hold of me. A sound so strange and yet captivating only this time I was aware of myself when I dropped into the resting room. The floor before me was stained with drops of blood, though dry to the touch. My eyes drifted to the doorway of the other room and that was when I realized the tone of the music. Though soft as it was, I realized it was weak. Nothing compared to what I heard back in Acre._

_But just as before when I would draw close to the doorway, the song had drifted to an end._

"Surely had I known that such a girl like her was going to join us, I would have offered to step in place as her supervisor and mentor instead of letting someone like you to look after her."

_Of course the malice was quick to ensue just before I could even set foot into view._

"I will see to it that sh—"

"In this you have already failed!" _I was about to snap. My mouth even opened as I was about to counter his words with venom of my own, but I fell short when I noticed the white robes lying on the counter as I stepped into the room and the blood that stained them. There was not even a second that passed before I had turned completely away from Malik and spotted her sitting off in the corner, propped up against the table. The stringed instrument loosely gripped in her hands while resting against the table surface. The only thing different to her compared to the last time he saw her was the simple tunic loosely hanging around the top half of her body, just barely reaching down to cover some the bloodstained bandages wrapped around her waist. _

"Malik, it's not hi—" She tried to voice reason.

"No, his actions have a price at the hands of others," the young Rafiq snapped, glowering towards Altaïr. "Had he not—!"

"We were right by the Burearu!" she snapped, taking Malik off guard. "It had nothing to do with him—what happened was on my part and no one else's. I came across an informer that asked for help and I wasn't about to say no."

"Even so, it is his responsibility," Malik pressed on, but Altaïr paid it no mind as he moved over toward Ann.

"What was so important to help an informer?"

Ann looked up to him, her brow knitting together at his question. "I wasn't helping him for what he had to offer…," she answered. "If I were in his situation, I'd hope that someone would help me, even just a little. But if you must know…" She reached to one of the pouches of her belt that rested low against her hip and pulled out the piece of paper before holding it up to him. "He gave me a map of Talal's hiding places should he choose to run."

Atlaïr was hesitant if barely for a moment before he took the paper from her hand, unfolding it. His eyes scanned through the contents of the map before drawing back to her. _She gets into trouble… and yet in the end she surprises me yet again._

"Are you in much pain?" the tone of his question came almost as much of a surprise to him as it did to her and even Malik, but he it did not acknowledge it.

"Better than I was a few hours ago…," she answered.

"Regardless, she needs time to heal before doing anything to avoid the risk of reopening the wound," Malik cut back in. Already, Ann could see frustration pulling over Altaïr's face.

"Looks like you got your wish then," she added. Altaïr gave her a look of confusion, trying to understand why of all things he would wish for something like this until her words concluded it for him. "You get to go on your mission against Talal on your own."

He did not say anything… the thought did not even cross his mind that he would take on Talal alone.

"That is for me to decide." Altaïr finally turned back to Malik. "Unless you'd rather waste more of my time. Have you even acquired any useful information on your target?"

Altaïr's eyes narrowed as he pocketed the map in one of his own pouches before it could be crushed in his grasp. "Here's what I know. He traffics in human lives, kidnapping Jerusalem's citizens and selling them into slavery. His base is a warehouse located inside the Barbican north of here. As we speak he prepares a caravan for travel. I'll strike while he's inspecting his stock. If I can avoid his men, Talal himself shall prove of little challenge."

"Little challenge? Listen to you! Such arrogance." Malik scoffed.

"Are we finished?!" Altaïr was fighting to maintain his temper. "Are you satisfied with what I've learned?"

"No. But it will have to do." Malik pulled back from the counter, reaching below to pull a simple feather out to place before them. "Rest, prepare, cry in a corner. Do whatever it is you do before a mission. Only make sure you do it quietly."

Altaïr clenched his teeth, biting back his own voice before he pulled back over to the counter to snatch the delicate item from its surface. He did not bother with another word nor to so much as make eye contact with either Malik or Ann before he turned and stormed out of the room.

"Arrogant fool."

.:*~*:.

A black veil over the city of Jerusalem brought with it the cool refreshing breeze of night. Altaïr did not wish to spend more time than necessary within the walls of the Assassin's Bureau knowing fully well that nothing good would possibly come of it, though he did not stray far at all. Rather he sat on the upper level of the roof, one leg dangling over the edge as the other sat propped up against him for his arm to rest comfortably on his knee. At least here, there was some peace to be found in the dead of night.

_Mmhmph!_

Or so he thought…

One look down and he could see Ann struggling to pull herself up from the gate of the Bureau, just barely managing to hoist herself over onto the surface. "What are you doing?" Any urgency in his voice was quickly covered as he jumped down to her level, leaning down to take hold of her arms and pull her up over the ledge. "Are you trying to hurt yourself?"

"The both of you can stop treating me like a doll now," she responded sarcastically. "I'll be fine." Even in the pale shine of the moonlight she could see the downward curl of his frown.

"Then what are you doing up here?"

"I wanted to make sure that you were okay." His brow furrowed in confusion.

"Sympathy has no place for an Assassin." He pulled back from her, turning away to reclaim his spot before she followed him to the roof.

"At least not on a mission," she slowly pulled herself up to her feet, careful not to twist her side as she moved. "But you are still human."

"It's a waste of time."

"Only if you make it so." She followed him over to the side of the roof he climbed to. "But no one is that heartless to not feel an ounce of care for something."

"Why do you insist?"

"Do I need a reason?" She moved to take the first step leading to where he was on the roof, managing to barely pull herself over the first deck of the roof. Altaïr merely sighed before he reached back and took her hand to pull her up onto the high level with him where she could comfortably take her seat next to him.

"Look… I've picked up bits and pieces of what happened before," she started. "But that's only through everyone else's story and I've yet to hear anything from you."

"What's done is done. It cannot be changed so why dwell on it." He did not even bother to cast a glance her way.

"Because the past affects your future whether you like it or not and it's what you do about it now that will affect whether your future will be for the better or for worse. Refusing to acknowledge it is just the same as refusing to overcome it." She could see his jaw clench but he did nothing to provoke her words. Silence fell over them save for the gentle wind that barely jiggled the chimes of the Bureau.

"You don't have to tell me if it bothers you that much," she continued, finally turning her own gaze away from him to look up toward the night sky. "But at least try to acknowledge the problem for yourself. You're an incredibly skilled Assassin… don't let your skills go to waste from what's happened."

"You think I am letting myself go to waste?" he growled. "I am being treated like a dog to go and fetch back what was rightfully mine!"

"But you are going about it in the exact same manner and not acknowledging where you really went wrong."

"You don't even know what happened!"

"I know from Malik's side of the story!" she snapped her gaze back over to him, meeting those fiery amber eyes directly this time. "But as I said earlier, I do not know your side, but Malik told me everything from his experience when he patched me up."

"If you know the story then there is no need for a retelling of it."

"So you would rather your own reputation be viewed negatively in the eyes of others then?" She could hear the stretch of leather from the clutch of his fists, but she did not break away from his eyes not even for the slightest second.

"If I'm made out to be so terrible then why are you putting yourself so close to a man like me?"

"Because you're not as bad as they've made you out to be." His gaze, though still sharp and intense, barely softened by the confusion her words brought.

"Humph. And how do you know that?"

"You stood up for me. That's all I need to know." He pulled his gaze away from her. "For that, you can't be that self-centered—you just need to realize it. I know you don't like me much less what anything to do with me, but I at least want to help you to be even better than you were before."

"And how long will that take?"

"That… depends on you."

He grumbled something incoherent to her. "You're going to be more of a handful than I thought."

That brought the corners her lips to quirk up slightly. "Aw, you make it sound like that's a bad thing." He merely scoffed at her answer as she readjusted herself to find a more comfortable way of sitting by him and she turned back to the city before them, admiring the silver gleam that cascading over the entire district. "At least I can promise you one thing."

"Do I even ask…," he muttered.

"I won't give up on you." Her eyes resting out on the city before her, she did not notice the amber once that had turned back to her. "Everyone makes mistakes, but I also believe in second chances. So I promise to help you get yours."


	11. Chapter 11

_Sleep had almost cast its hold on me, but a form next to me had torn through the thin veil of slumber. My eyes opened and glanced down to the body lying against to me. Defenseless and frail, it was like a completely different façade that dawned her features. Save for the gentle fall and rise of her chest, she was motionless and with a peaceful expression. Her braid, though slightly disheveled, fell over her shoulder, barely reaching down to the bandages around her waist._

_Peaceful… Delicate… Frail. _

_My hand reached out and brushed back one of the loose strands of crimson hair from her face. It was at that point when I realized the subtle shudder of her form. She only wore half of her robes to avoid any constriction around her wound, allowing the cool night air to reach her small form easily. I mumbled under my breath, shifting slightly as I slipped an arm carefully around her body and the other under her legs to pull her up into my hold. I was more than careful to keep from adjusting her too much to avoid any cause of discomfort from her injury as I pulled myself up to my feet and moved down to the level of the Bureau's entrance._

_Climbing down into the resting room itself proved to be a challenge as I adjusted her until I was able to carry her down with the use of only one arm. Luck, as it would seem, was on my side as I made it to the floor without once disturbing her sleep. I moved over to the corner of the room and gently lowered her onto the pile of assorted pillows, only leaving her side for a brief second to locate a blanket to cover her from the night air._

_Even as I brought the blanket over her form, my eyes stopped at her face. Truly, she was more trouble than I should have to put up with, yet why did I find myself beginning to not care as much?_

'_I won't give up on you.'_

_Why would that even matter? Al Mualim has already given me the chance at redemption… I can see it through without the aid of anyone else, without her. I do not need her._

_I pulled back, turning away to slip back outside to the roof, but as my foot set onto the rim of the fountain I turned back. My eyes finding her under the speckled moonlight that fell through the latticework overhead. _

.:*~*:.

_How late is it…? My eyes could feel the warmth of light falling on me, though I did not wish to open them. The dull roar of a crowd was outside… dawn clearly had to not be too long ago. Reluctant as I was, I knew I would need to get up before long, but what was I to do? As far as I knew, I was grounded until I had a full recovery. _

_I groaned inwardly at the thought, slowly shifting to pull myself up. I winced at the tug of my wound before I carefully sat up. Eyes finally open, I saw that I was lying among several large pillows, though not exactly fluffy, still relatively soft to rest on. I did not recall ever climbing back into the Bureau… much less lying here with a blanket to boot. _

_My gaze shifted up to the lattice gate overhead. There was no bickering coming from the other room… so surely Altaïr remained outside somewhere. But where?_

"She awakes," Malik's voice, calm and even, resounded from the doorway. "Better late than never."

"I didn't sleep in too late, did I…?" She glanced over to the door as Malik moved over to her side with a cup nestled in his only hand.

"Relax," he knelt by her side and offered her the cup that now emitted a small line of steam. "Do not worry about time until you have gotten better. This will elixir will help get you back on your feet."

She looked to the cup in hand, slowly taking it from his hold to see the green liquid inside. She gave a gentle blow before she took the first small sip, tasting the bitter contents and resisted the urge to spit it back out. "Blegh! It tastes terrible!" she begrudgingly swallowed. "Must mean it's working…" Malik chuckled at her reaction before he pulled himself back up to move back to the other room.

"Wait, Malik?" He stopped by the doorframe, turning slightly to look back at her. "Where is Altaïr? Did he go after Talal?"

"If he did, what does it matter?" His face scrunched at the thought of the Assassin. "I will not waste my time worrying over his quest for redemption."

Ann watched him go back into his room disgruntled before letting her gaze fall back to liquid in her cup. _I wonder exactly what am I getting myself into… _She took another sip, swallowed, and tried her best not to cringe.

Time slipped by in slowly. She was unsure how long before she felt well enough to move a little more extensively without much cause of pain. She moved over to the fountain, looking up through the lattice gate to the outside. The thought of Altaïr being up there crossed her mind, but for someone like him, why would he linger when he could get the job done now without wasting any time.

Moving carefully, she began to climb her way back up to the roof. It proved much easier this time to make her way to the top than the previous night, though the tug in her side still restricted her movements to a degree. Nevertheless, she managed to hoist herself over the ledge with a bit more ease. She had no plans of leaving the premises, just felt the need to be outside in a slightly different environment which was just what she had told Malik before she slipped out. Even as she sat down on one of the upper levels of the structure, she could see off in the distance the extravagance of the city. An occasional guard she could spot, but none were close enough to spot her right away and be of any threat.

The sun now rested high in the sky, signaling mid day. Boredom was quickly settling in and those pesky thoughts of her own predicament where only left on repeat. Above anything else, she hoped that she was at least doing the right thing while being in this world. _How much of an impact am I really having on the timeline itself for being here? Or was it just like in the movies where I had to be here in the first place to make sure history set itself on the right course? Or I am just thinking too highly of myself right now…? I couldn't be here completely by accident or mistake, could I? Either way… am I stuck here? Am I ever going to see the chance of going home again…?_

She sighed, lowering her head until her eyes fell to her feet. "And here I thought life couldn't be more complicated."

Movement. She jerked her head back up, looking behind her certain that she heard something not far from her. Her eyes scanned the roof and she pulled herself up to her feet. She dared not move into the Bureau knowing fully well that that was a breach of the Creed itself if someone had spotted her. Though she could not find anything amiss, much less any indication of someone there, she knew all too well than to let her guard down at all.

She looked around the area from where she stood, but it was not until she turned to the building next to her did she catch a glimpse of something black disappear around the corner of its roof. Immediately, she rushed behind one of the walls of the next story of the building in hopes of concealing herself. Slowly and as quickly as she could, she put distance between herself at the entrance of the Bureau until she could come around the other side of the roof. She peeked around her post, looking toward the building she caught the first sign of someone else, but her gaze met nothing. _Did they notice me here? Or was it someone else already preoccupied and just didn't bother with me?_

For a while, she was unsure where to move. She was in no condition to pursue, especially with her lack of weaponry on her person, but she was still unclear if she was even being watched at all to even consider retreating. The only shift in stance she made was when she retracted back, turning away from the building where she saw the figure, and froze when she saw the very black form standing before her.

A hood over his face, even a mask that concealed his entire face save for the dark eyes that stared her down from the shade of his hood proved to be more intimidating than any of the other Assassins she had met! A black cape with a crimson hue on the underside was fastened over one shoulder, covering his right arm and half of his torso and a red sash that tied around his waist over his dark attire was the only thing that stood out the most of anything else about him aside from his dangerous stare. A sword, several daggers, even a crossbow with several arrows strapped to his back, this man was just as heavily armed as any guard, if not more so, but his hands remained empty.

Neither of them moved. Ann was almost too scared to even breathe until she remembered that she still had two daggers tucked away in each of her boots. But what good would those even do against a man that could so easily overpower her?

"A-Are you just going to stand there and stare all day…?" she fought to find her own voice, much less the confidence to hold a front against him. Still he made no sound, not even the slightest hint of motion.

"What do you want…!?" she was beginning to grow impatient. "If you have no business here, then leave!"

He started to move toward her. "S-Stay back!" She immediately moved to snag one of her daggers, but just as she was able to pull one free in her own defense, his hand had knocked her wrist away, forcing her to drop the weapon. "No! Sto—!" Her cry cut short as his other hand grabbed the space between her neck and shoulder and her vision blacked out. The last thing she remembered was her body dropping, collapsing into the hold of her attacker.

.:*~*:.

"Malik." Altaïr moved into the room, his eyes scanning the entire area around them.

"Ah, he returns."

"Where is she?" Altaïr didn't give Malik the chance to say anything else upon his arrival.

"She stepped outside not long ago," he answered indifferently as he pulled one of the books from the shelves behind him. "What of Talal?"

"She is not outside," Atlaïr did not even acknowledge Malik's last question, catching his attention. "Did she say where she was going—why did you even let her go?!"

Malik's hand set on the cover the book once he had dropped it on the counter. "It is not my responsibility to watch her, but yours. What of Talal?"

His jaw clenched. "He lives. I have not made the move to strike yet."

"Then you are wasting both yours and my time."

"Do you know where she is!?"

Malik remained unaffected by his outburst. "Her belongings are still here and she knew not to leave the Bureau. As far as I know, she's nearby. As to where, don't expect me to know."

Altaïr did not spend another second in the room as he quickly turned on his heel and rushed out of the Bureau. As soon as his feet met the grounding of the roof, he looked around each structure, scaffold, and street around them. No sign of her at all. He moved toward the back of the building, looking both high to the stories of the roofs and low down to the streets, but there was nothing to be taken notice anywhere. He cursed under his breath and was ready to jump over to the next building to continue his search until the glint of something metal caught his eye. Looking over to his side, he moved over to the item the lied carelessly by the edge of the roof.

He knelt down and picked up a dagger. A dagger he recognized as one for an Assassin, one surely that was given to her. There was no blood, no sign of assault anywhere, but there was a reason why this dagger was lying here in the first place. His grip tightened at the realization of what happened.

The second the dagger was sheathed into his belt, he dart off the roof, leaping to the next one and the one after that. His feet carried him as fast as he could across the district without fail. Any guard that dared to get in his way was met with his hidden blade launching straight into their jugular without a second's notice. He did not care if his strikes were in a low or high profile. Nothing and no one was going to delay him from his target anymore.

He reached the Barbican of the city with ease as he approached the very warehouse Talal kept those he kidnapped to sell into human slavery. The closer he got to his target the more anger he could feel rising within him as he ran straight into the open door of the building. The second the door slammed shut behind him only confirmed his own thoughts as to what was going on here. Cages and crates lined the walls around him as he proceeded inside and even though the hall was barely lit, he could see the men and women curled away in tight caged corners in utter despair.

"You should not have come here, Assassin."

Altaïr turned, looking for the source of the voice, his frustration being tested. "What now, slaver?"

"Do not call me that!" the voice snapped. "I only wish to help them. As I myself was helped."

"You do no kindness imprisoning them like this." Even at a glance, Altaïr's eyes fell to bars in the floor, keeping a man trapped in the dark basement below as he reached out begging for help.

"Imprisoning them? I keep them safe. Preparing them for the journey that lies ahead."

"What journey?" Altaïr snapped, turning to what lied up above him where he could see the silhouettes of guards peeking through windows to watch him. "It is a life of servitude."

"You know nothing!" the voice of Talal laughed. "It was folly to even bring you here! To think that you might see and understand!"

"I understand well enough!" Altaïr spat back. "Show yourself!"

"Ah, so you want to see the man that called you here…" A door at the very end of the hall drew open, catching Altaïr's attention. He rushed through the opening without a moment's hesitation, coming out into the middle of a large spacious room.

"You did not call me here! I came on my own," he called back.

"Did you?" Talal chuckled. "Who unbarred the door? Cleared the path? Did you once raise your blade against a single man of mine, huh? No. All this, I did for you. Step into the light then, and I will grant you one final favor."

Altaïr moved, falling into the few streams of light Talal's men had created when they pulled the shutters back to let the sun through. Several soldiers stood on the upper level of the room, looming over him with their weapons drawn and ready to strike. The second he even spotted them, they jumped down to floor, surrounding him. Though they did not move to attack, he did not concern himself with them as Altaïr turned his gaze to the last man to reveal himself from above.

"Now I stand before you," Talal announced, stepping to the very edge of the landing. "What is it you desire?"

"Where is she?" Altaïr curtly spoke.

"She?"

"Do not play with me! I know you took her to throw in with the rest of your livestock!"

"Surely I have helped many women… but I know now of who you refer to."

"The only one with red hair, surely you cannot mistake one like her!"

"Alas, there is none here with such a trait."

"I'm sure you'll say otherwise when defending your life," Altaïr growled, swinging his sword free from his side, ready to fight. "Come down here! Let us settle this with honor!"

"Why must this always come to violence?" Talal let his arms fall to his side as he shook his head.

"You will tell me where she is!"

"It seems I cannot help you. And I cannot allow my work to be threatened. You leave me no choice. You must die." Cue initiated. The soldiers surrounding Altaïr began to move, but the instant one of them lunged for the Assassin, he countered, gliding the man's blade away before he shoved his sword straight through the soldier's torso. Another charged, but was met by a quick death as Altaïr swung his blade free from his first victim and slashed it straight across the next one's chest, blood spraying freely from his body.

One by one, each man met a quick and devastating end, neither of whom were able to get anywhere close to Altaïr. His eyes were boiling over with rage when the very last soldier moved to attack but was left to find himself with Altaïr's sword plunged straight through his throat and then yanked to the side, tearing out his artery and jugular. Talal obviously became panicked from the display and immediately sprinted, climbing frantically up the nearest ladder to vacate the building.

Altaïr was not too far behind. Climbing one of the ladders within the warehouse straight to the landing Talal and a few of his other men resided on, he dashed like a white blur. Any guard that dared to oppose him found his blade in their throats before being shoved off their platform to plummet to the floor below, crushing their skulls against the ground. As Altaïr even breached the rooftop Talal had ran from, he spotted the very coward on top of one of the nearby buildings. He turned, nearly stumbling in his sporadic haste as the Assassin bolted after him. The second he even made it to the next building, Altaïr pulled free a dagger from his belt, throwing it straight at his target until the weapon found itself embedded in the man's shoulder, startling and knocking him down to the roof.

Now he had him. Jumping to the very rooftop and coming on him fast, Altaïr's hidden blade slide perfectly through Talal's ribcage, slicing straight into the man's lung. But his job was not finished there as he snatched Talal by the collar of his clothes, jerking him up to his level. "Be straight with me," he growled. "You've nowhere to run now. What did you do with her!?"

"I-I know of no woman you refer to!" Talal stammered as blood trickled down from his mouth, weakly gripping at his wrists to pry away from him.

"You took her to sell into slavery just like the others," he fought to keep himself calm. "Now tell me where you put her!"

"The way you fight for her, she does not seem the type like the men and women I took into my arms," Talal spoke softly.

"What do you mean?"

"Beggars, whores, addicts, lepers. Do they strike you as proper slaves? Unfit for even the most menial tasks? No. I took them not to sell, but to save! And yet you'd kill us all, for no other reason than it was asked of you." He coughed, the fight for air growing weaker by the second.

"No," Altaïr's brow knitted together, fighting the confusion and doubt this man's words were beginning to stir in him. "You profit from the war, from lives lost and broken."

"Yes…," Talal breathed. "You would think that, as ignorant as you are. War defined me. They say it's what your kind do best. Do you see the irony in all this?" He spotted the doubt in his eyes as much as Altaïr fought to hide it. "No, not yet it seems… But you will…"

The life drained from his body and Talal fell limp in Altaïr's grasp. His hands constricted around the fabric of his clothes before he brought Talal's body down to the ground. Reaching to one of his pouches, he pulled the feather free and swiped it against the running stream of blood from Talal before he pulled back. His eyes turned back to the warehouse but even from what he could see there, Ann was no where to be found. But he couldn't give up. No! He needed to find her before anything else happened.

With the bells ringing loudly throughout the city, he sprinted back to the warehouse. This was a promise to himself. He was not going to return to the Bureau until he found her.

.:*~*:.

_Darkness… All I can see is darkness. But my surroundings I could still feel. From the warm coating from the sun's powerful rays to the form of the man who took me and the shuffling of the fabric of his clothes, but I could not move no matter how much I willed my body to. For a while, I was truly unconscious, but now I knew I was paralyzed, too weak to bring myself to move! My body felt heavy and the strain to even so much as try to flex my fingers was mentally agonizing! What has he done to me!? What is he planning!?_

_He stopped in his steps, this much I was certain of. We were still outside… I could make out the echo and rumblings of the crowd in the city. He kept still for several moments before he stirred and I could finally feel one of my fingers flex._

_It was like he knew I was coming to when he lowered me to the rough, hot, flat ground. I expected something to happen… anything! A blade slicing through my throat or even straight into my abdomen, but nothing came. I could hear him move and his footsteps carried away, disappearing in the distance. Was he just leaving me here…? _

_My body was still heavy, but I could finally feel some use of the muscles in my arms and upper body, though minimal at best. For a moment, I was able to peek my eyes open, catching a glimpse of the sky above me. How long I was going to be lying there completely helpless, I had no clue… and it frightened me. Especially when I heard footsteps land on the ground close by, running straight toward me._

"Ann!"

_That voice… That's the first time he's used my name._

"Ann, wake up!" _Someone pulled me up, holding me in their arms and jostling me slightly. I managed to open my eyes again, the light of the sun nearly blinding me before my vision could regain its focus. A figure loomed over me, though it was too dark for me to make anything out at first, the white hood was a dead giveaway and I could feel my mouth curl into a small smile of relief._

"Where have you been…?" _My voice was weaker than I thought, but I managed to pull words from my throat. _

"I could ask the same of you." Though he refused to show it, relief could finally settle in.

"Your guess would be as good as mine…"

"Can you move?"

"Barely."

"Are you in pain?"

"No…"

Though surprised by that last answer, they both fell silent as Altaïr picked her up off the ground, holding her securely in his hold. She was safe now and there was no one else that was going to get in his way of making sure she made it back safely. He turned to make his way back toward the Bureau, taking his time crossing the roofs.

Any sign of the man who kidnapped her even being there at all had diminished before even Altaïr or anyone else could take notice.


	12. Chapter 12

I just wanted to say thank you to all of you who've kept reading this far! :) It really does mean a lot and I am having a lot of fun with this story. My only worry is whether or not I am keeping close to Altaïr's personality, but I hope it is still enjoyable to all you wonderful people nonetheless. Thanks so much again! And I hope you enjoy this new installment of Shatter Me.

Also a small request, nothing major, but I've wondered for a while if I should give my chapters names or just keep them as 'Chapter 1, 2, 3, etc.' Just a thought. :)

* * *

The notes swirled through the air, dancing with a life of their own alongside the player. The bow gliding effortlessly over the strings of the violin, she moved with the flow of the music. Her mind was lost and her eyes were closed as she swirled over the slick glossy floor. Here was her sanctuary from reality, from the tricks and lies the world would try to throw into everyone's lives. The one thing that could chase her worries away with just the simple play of a chorus.

And then there was the subtle clap echoing from the side that broke through the song and brought her to stumble to a stop, her song jutting to an end.

"Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt," a male voice chuckled as Ann looked off to the side of the stage.

"Oh really now?" she mused, a grin pulling over her lips. "Then stop hiding back there, I already know what you look like so a description to security here won't exactly be in your favor."

Her response was met with a chuckle as a young man stepped out from the shadows backstage. He was dressed in a well-fitted pinstriped black suit that looked clean and fresh off the press save for the one hand resting casually in his pants pocket that bundled some of the fabric of the coat around his hip. Other than his purposely disheveled light sandy hair, everything about his posture and style displayed sophistication and refinement. A vibe that Ann was unsure if she liked or not. "At least you still remember me. I'm honored."

"Me? Forget you?" she smirked. "What brings you here this time, Faris?"

"Do I need a reason to come see you practice?"

"Well with your new job, the opportunities to see you are few and far between unless there is a special reason I am unaware of."

"Yes…," he paused, letting his deep brown eyes briefly fall to the side. "Abstergo does carry a busy schedule, but at least they pay very well in the end."

Ann's smile faded. Already she could see where this was going. "They may pay well, but do they leave enough room for a life to actually live…?"

"Ann." Faris turned his gaze back to her, taking a few steps toward her in hopes of reaching her somehow. "I know you love it here, but I also know that you barely make it from paycheck to paycheck… You know I worry about you and I make enough now that I could help y—"

"I'm not taking your money, Faris," she cut him short. "It wouldn't be fair to you and I don't want any profit from that company."

"Please Ann, at least look into something that could help benefit you," he tried further. "Abstergo really isn't that bad and they have many different opportunities that could have you set for life."

"Faris!" She raised her voice, just barely enough to echo throughout the empty theater. "Money isn't my only concern here."

"If it's not your only concern, then what else is?" While his voice escalated as well, he fought to keep his tone level and calm. This was a conversation that was beginning to become something like clockwork. Up until a few years ago, they would see each other a few times out of the week, now their visits together were lucky if they could occur twice within one month. With that, he had also tried to bring Ann to Abstergo to show her a life that could provide her with better comfort and security. But with each try, only arguments ensued.

"That should be obvious…"

Silence fell over them as Faris' words fell short even as she turned away, stepping back to set her violin back in its case that rested on the floor not far from where she performed.

"I worry about what you're doing with your life, Faris," she continued, kneeling by the black leather case as she slipped her instrument into the velvet interior. "What my family's doing—whether or not I'm going to be able to make a difference to any of you."

"What do you mean?"

"Life isn't just about money and the ability to make a living," she closed the lid of her case and turned back to face him directly. "But the chance to make a life of your own and to fight for what you want—for what you need and for what you know is right and I worry if you even know exactly what you're getting yourself into."

"Is that not what finding a good job is for?"

"If the job is what you enjoy and you know what you're getting yourself into then do as you please, but if it is just something that you use to simply gain as much money as you can then that will drain the life out of you faster than anything else, especially if the people you work for are just as much, if not more, corrupted. I know sometimes I wonder whether or not I will make the next rent, but in the end I'll still be standing right here. I would rather do something I love instead of working for someone I don't believe I can trust."

"Abstergo is not as bad as you think," Faris moved over to her side. "They've helped humanity for decades—helping us gain the technology and even medical services we have today. How can you see a company that has done so much good for the world as something unjust?"

"The gain of power is something that can corrupt the mind of anyone faster than anything else." Clipping the latches of her case shut, she brought herself back up to her feet. "They may have helped us get this far, but just the same from what you've told me before, their company is growing and I can see they monopolizing whatever they can get their hands on. Do you not wonder what they could do if they ever gained complete control over everything? They spoil you with riches, trinkets, and services to gain your loyalty, then what?"

"And what if they are genuinely working to make this world a better place?" She sighed, turning as she picked up her case.

"At least sign up to help with one of their projects next time you're in a pinch." He took her hand, slipping a business card into her palm and folded her fingers over the small piece of paper. "You won't be employed, but they'll pay you well enough just for some participation. You wouldn't have to worry about making the next rent payment… Not for a long while. Please, it would help me feel better knowing that you'd be okay."

Ann merely glanced down at the business card in her hand before she let her eyes shift back to her old childhood friend before he turned away, making his way off the stage. Neither one of them could muster another word of exchange as he took his leave, leaving her to stand in the middle of the stage with the simple card cut-out for Abstergo Industries. One more look at the contact information and her hand clutched, crimpling the card.

_That was the last time I saw Faris… _

_Needless to say, I made no attempt to reach them. _

_The only reason I agreed to participate with Abstergo in the first place was because I did find myself in a bind… and the woman, Lucy, could not have picked a better time to personally convenience me to participate in the Animus project._

_Now here I am in a completely different world wondering what am I to do or if I'll ever find the chance to go home ever again._

It had been several hours since they had left the city of Jerusalem, after she was able to regain her mobility and well after all the bickering and arguing between Altaïr and Malik could manage before she had to intervene herself. Funny enough, she felt she had more energy now than she did just that morning. The wound in her side was hardly even noticeable at all—if she did not know any better, she wouldn't have even noticed she had been hurt in the first place. Now she was out in the Kingdom riding alongside Altaïr slowly making their way back to Masyaf and making sure not to draw too much unwanted attention.

Ann's gaze shifted off to the distance, catching the fading rays of the sun that still stretched out into the sky from behind the mountainous region. It would be dark before long and she wasn't sure herself if she wanted to risk riding their horses all night long. While Altaïr may be fully capable of making to the city without so much of a single stop, she knew she could not fight sleep off as well as he could and didn't much look forward to passing out while on the horse very much either. The very image of her falling off the horse while dozing flashed enough times in her head to drastically lose its appeal.

"Altaïr?" She caught the slight shift of his head, acknowledging that he heard her. "Is there any chance we can find a place to bunk for the night this time?"

"If we stopped we would not reach Masyaf until the next evening," he bluntly responded.

"Yes, but I don't exactly trust myself on a horse when I'm unconscious to the world," she countered. "Besides, there's something else I wanted to ask of you if we could stop for the night."

"Such as?"

"I won't tell you unless we stop." She could hear him sigh.

"Is that supposed to make me change my mind?"

"I don't know," she casually shrugged her shoulders. "I thought my request would have been fun." She caught him turning his gaze more directly to her from the corner of her eye, making a small grin pull over her lips.

"We don't have time for 'fun'," he grumbled. "We need to get back to Masyaf now."

"Yes, but my request would be more than beneficial to both you and I." She turned her head to look his way, only to find his eyes were focused directly on her. "If you want our time together during these missions to go more smoothly then it's something we need to do."

She could almost see the internal battle in his eyes and from that alone she knew she was winning, especially when he sighed irritably and tugged on the reins of his horse to lead them in a different direction. "There's an abandoned stable over here, we'll stay there."

"Ooooh, excellent five star quality," she sarcastically teased.

"Do you want to stop for the night or not?" he nearly snapped, but it only brought a soft laugh from her.

"I never said I'd turn it down," she chuckled while he mumbled under his breath.

The stable was not too far off the beaten path, but it was safely out of the attention and sight of most soldiers that could move through the area. Their horses, they made sure to secure inside the structure close to the back where they were less likely to be noticed as soon as they entered. Of course as soon as Altaïr even dismounted from his horse, Ann was already standing in front of him, an action that would normally have taken the average person completely by surprise, though he didn't show it.

"Alright," he muttered, eyeing the bright smile on her face suspiciously. "What is your request that is so important to us working together?"

"Teach me how to fight." He had to admit he didn't see that one coming.

"You've worked with Assassin's before and have defended yourself since you started tagging along," his brow furrowed. "Do you not already know how to fight?"

"Of each of those times you've known me to fight, how many did I actually come out unscathed or not held hostage?" He fell silent. "What you've seen me do before is reflex if anything else—I was never taught to work with a blade and if I'm going to be of any use to you in these missions, it would be better if I could defend myself and not keep getting hurt or kidnapped."

"And you did not wish to wait until we got back to Masyaf," he stated more than asked.

"Too much attention."

"Sometimes you're too much." He pushed pass her, stepping away from the horses and into the main clearing of the stable. "Hurry up, I'd rather us not practice sword fighting when there's no more light out."

.:*~*:.

"You're dead." Her hand pinned against her back and the blade against her throat, he released her, letting her stumble forward. "You're trying to hard and overstepping your moves."

"Then what," she breathed heavily, trying to regain her breath. "do you suggest?"

He flicked his sword upward, holding it upright before them. "Focus on your opponent, not your feet. Focus on them and you will learn what moves they are planning and how you can dodge or block their attacks."

Before she even had the chance to say anything else, he moved in, swinging his blade at her which she was quick to block with her own sword and slung his blade over and away from her entirely. She could see the corner of his mouth quirk up in a smirk. "No mercy," she remarked lightly.

"None." He advanced once more, thrusting his sword straight to her, which she jumped to the side to dodge his strike. Using her own momentum against his failed attack, she brought her sword to down onto his, jamming the end of his blade into the ground.

"Ha—AH!" In her small moment of victory, she did not catch his foot kicking out at her ankles and knocking her down on her back. Before she could even get back up, the end of his sword was at her throat.

"You lost focus." She pouted just before he pulled his sword back. "But you are getting better. That should be enough combat practice for now." The sun's rays were fading rapidly and they both knew they would not wish to bring any unwanted attention to them should any soldier try to make a patrol out this far. Ann had just brought herself to sit back up when he sheathed his sword and turned away to make sure the reins for the horses was still well secured to their posts.

Ann mumbled to herself as she slowly pulled herself back up to her feet, picking up her sword once more. Even if she was getting better, she still wondered if she would be good enough to keep up at all. With both hands, she gripped the hilt of the weapon, holding it out in front of her with a slight tilt. _I still feel like I'm doing the same thing… like I just get lucky in what I'm doing._

"Left or right handed?"

"Huh?" His voice coming up behind her snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Are you left or right handed?" he repeated.

"Right…" Without another word, he reached over to grab her hands, repositioning her right hand a few inches below the guard of her sword and the left directly below near the end of the hilt.

"Keep the grip of your last three fingers on your left hand tight." He moved behind her so he could reach around her and bring the hold of her sword down until her hands were a little ways out from her midsection. How close he was to her now and his hold over her own on the weapon, even though this was just a mere demonstration, brought a faint flare of heat to her cheeks. How relieved she was that he could not see her face, much less with the dim light peeking through the openings of the stable.

"Bring your left foot back." As she did, he kept his hands around hers on the sword, keeping it in place before her. "You'll push with your left foot, slide with your right for when you strike. Your right hand will guide your blow and your left will set the strength of your attack." Once she was positioned, he guided the hold of her blade up until her hands were just past her eye level before he had her swing the sword straight down, moving her forward on her feet like she would with a real strike.

"Remember balance. Focus. And don't hesitate," he added once he brought her back to her original stance. "They will not hesitate to strike you."

"No mercy." She could almost sense the smirk pull over his face.

"None." His hands pulled back from hers and he moved away from her just as she turned to look back to him. "For now, that should be the type of attack you should work on. Remember to guide your blade with your right and apply force with your left."

"Yes _master_," she teased lightly before she brought her weapon back into the sheath at her side. He barely responded with what she assumed was a chuckle as he stepped over to the entrance of the stable, looking out to the Kingdom.

"We'll only stay a couple of hours so you can get your rest before moving out again."

"Determined as always, I see," she said as she sat down by one of the stable posts, leaning back to make herself more comfortable.

"Hn," was the only response she got which vaguely surprised her. No curt response about how they needed to get these missions finished to better restore his rank? Now snarky remark about how she's holding him back? She turned her eyes toward him, adjusting her hood so it could rest comfortably over her head but just far back enough that her face was clearly visible.

"Something on your mind?" she asked curiously though Altaïr did not stir from his post.

He took his time before speaking, his eyes remaining focused on the outside. "Do you know anything more about the man who kidnapped you?"

_That's it… _"Aside from what I told you and Malik…" Her gaze fell back to the ground. "I don't know what he was trying to do—as to why he even left me on that rooftop, your guess is as good as mine. We would have noticed by now if he followed us."

"He didn't do anything to you?"

"Not that I'm aware of… though I know he drugged me with something that instilled temporary paralysis." _If I didn't know any better, I'd say it was some kind of aesthetic or something of the sort similar to what a surgeon would use… but they wouldn't have that here in this era, right? That type of drug—that's not until centuries from now, right? _She caught the faint flex of his arm, his muscles tensing from the vexation of a more cunning opponent. Though he refused to let it show, she could tell he was frustrated from all that had happened and Malik's banter against him about not staying on top of his own responsibilities because of his arrogance did not help. "But after you found me and I could move on my own again, I felt much better than I did when he first kidnapped me. I didn't even notice the injury in my side as much."

"What are you getting at?" His head shifted, barely making the effort to glance in her direction.

"I'm not getting at anything," she answered. "We don't know anything about this guy so we should be cautious, but there is a possibility that he's not against us. If he wanted me dead, he could have done so the moment he had me."

"That doesn't mean he wouldn't try something later—the opportunity to use you for something else."

"True, but then why would he leave me on the rooftop in plain sight for you to find me? If it were a trap, why didn't he try anything when you got there?"

"Hm." He crossed his arms in front of him, mulling over the different possibilities in his head, but he could not find a clear answer. The thought of a new alley… or an enemy? Whoever this man was, there was no trust that he could find, not yet. Everything happened for a reason and what that reason might be was going to rack his mind for a while. "Get your rest. You only have a couple of hours at best before we move on."


	13. Chapter 13

How she managed to make it through most of the night without falling off the horse, she had no idea. The few hours of sleep were barely enough to keep her going, but it was better than nothing. The following day was long and dismal at best as she was fighting off yawns on a regular basis. Her vision blurred as her eyelids grew heavy but the occasional startle of the horse or the grumblings of a nearby guard were quick to set her back on edge. It was not until they even pulled up to the gates of Masyaf did she even realize that her horse came to a stop. Or maybe it was the hand that snagged her arm and jerked her off the horse that brought her out of her daze.

"AH!" She yelped as she fell to the side but before she could get anywhere near solid ground an arm snagged around her waist and threw her over the shoulder of her 'assailant'. "H-Hey! Altaïr!"

"You lost focus," he commented bluntly, turning away from their horses.

"Yeah, that tends to happen when I don't get enough sleep to function properly the next day—will you put me down now!"

"Prove you can get out of my grasp then I'll believe you can make it on your own."

"Seriously? You're going to do this now!?" she growled, already struggling to pry herself free from his hold.

"The enemy does not wait until you are prepared to fight. If they know you are at your weakest, they will have blood." He stepped away from the horses, keeping some space between them as she tried to kick herself free. The guards standing idly by the gate were baffled but did nothing to interfere with the once Master Assassin.

"You know you're only delaying our meeting with Al Mualim, right!? Put me down now!" She squirmed and twisted to find some way of escape but his hold was much stronger than she ever anticipated. He was even stronger than most of the guards she had found herself up against since she first got here! _Now I see why everyone held him in such high regard._

"Then hurry up or I will drag you up the mountain." Still he did not move from where he stood, but the guards and occasional passerby around them did nothing but stop and stare. Her cheeks were already flaring red from embarrassment and her teeth gritted in irritation. It was not until one of the guards even attempted to step forward to intervene did she bring her arm up and slammed her elbow into his back, initiating a response she did not expect.

His other arm reached over, roughly slinging her off his shoulder until she stumbled back onto her feet. No weapon at his disposal armed in his hold, he moved as if to take her down, his right hand lunging straight for her throat as if in a 'killing' strike, but another force within her had kicked in, bringing her to swing her arm upward to knock his away before her other hand shot right back at him. It happened in a split-second, but she still had enough control over herself to stop her hand just barely before striking his neck and risk snapping the vertebrae in his spine. Her whole body froze completely at the realization, her eyes wide and staring at her hand that could have injured him, if not killed him if impacted just right. She barely even registered the faint smirk that tugged over Altaïr's lips.

"You're stronger than you believe." He pulled back from her, not making any other attempt to advance toward her, but only pulled away to move back to the gate. Ann, though still in shock by what happened, could barely shuffle her feet to move after him. Even the small crowd around them had backed away significantly to give the two as much space to themselves in fear of what could happen to them should they tread too close. Any trace of sleep now was far from her as she jolted her head back up to see Altaïr moving ahead.

"H-," Eyes locked on him, she fought to find her voice before she broke out in a run after him. "H-Hey! Just what the hell are you trying to pull here?!"

"You asked me to teach you how to fight," he continued on, unfazed from her words.

"So you're just going to choose any random moment to hold me in a death grip!?"

"Do you expect to be under attack?"

"N-No," she stammered. "But—!"

"Then your practice has not ended." He stopped just as they had set foot into the city of Masyaf and turned back to face her. "Did you even know you could do that?"

"No-"

"Then you will continue to learn more of the limits you can push yourself to." She faltered, stopping just a few feet short from where he stood. "You said it yourself that you need to know how to defend yourself. Your instincts are good but your skill need refining."

"But don't you think that was a bit extreme?" She bit her lip, trying to keep from snapping at him. "I could have seriously hurt you!" She could see the smirk form just below the shade of his hood.

"This time, keep up."

She had no time to protest or even question him before he took off, sprinting up the steep hillside of the city. She hesitated at first until it clicked in her mind that she needed to run as fast as she could after him. He moved through the people in a fluid motion, dodging around them with such agility and ease to avoid knocking any of them over. It was all she could do to even keep her eyes on him as she ran through the crowd. The blur of white disappearing around one of the buildings uphill, she found herself leaping up and over one of the cinderblock walls that lined the streets to cut any corners to keep up.

Her breathing short and her legs growing stiff and feeling like jelly from the frantic run, she kept her focus on him. She darted around people, moving as swiftly as she could around them especially those carrying crates to avoid startling or ramming straight into them. Though she could still see Altaïr not far ahead, she knew he was gaining speed. She needed to find a way to get to him before she lost sight of him entirely around the next turn. A quick glance and she pulled off to the side, jumping back up onto one of the stonewalls alongside the street, running over the top of it. A new surface to move on, a new adjustment to maintain her balance, but there was no worry of running into people and she could see herself getting closer to Atlaïr already even in the uphill slope.

The very clearing before the path leading to the Assassin's stronghold was coming into view. Her wall had reached its end before she jumped back onto the ground, keeping her pace fast even her legs felt like they were on the verge of collapsing.

He had just made the landing, jutting his feet to a stop before he turned back to see where she was. To his own amusement, she had just cleared the last corner, leaping over the oversized rock before her feet could skid to a stop next to him. Though she nearly stumbled over her own feet and her breathing was heavy, she still managed to pull herself up here not long after he did. Her body barely hunched over with legs ready to buckle beneath her as she tried to regain her breath, she turned narrow eyes to his, too exasperated to even bother forming a sentence to slap the smirk on his face off.

"So you can keep up," he commented before he moved toward the walkway up to the stronghold.

"Pfft." She was too tired to bother with actual words now. If she was not going to pass out before, she would within the next few minutes! Her legs, though grateful not to be running, throbbed and even felt numb as she slumped up the hill after him.

"Just as I thought," a familiar male voice echoed in her ears as she followed Altaïr into the fortress. "This is no place for a woman to be. You lack the strength a proper Assassin needs."

Ann growled under her breath. She was in no mood to put up with this guy pushing herself pass him, ignoring him entirely as she walked on to the staircase after her Assassin. The man, whom she remembered to be Abbas, saw her silence as submission to his banter. "You are not going to amount anything here, woman," he continued on, his mouth curling into a grin. "Especially with a novice such as him! The Order is meant for those strong enough to uphold the Creed and someone as weak as you, woman, you will only fall."

"Her name is Ann, Abbas, and you will address her as such," Altaïr's voice was curt as he stopped midstride to look back to the fellow Assassin, he caught Ann by surprise, making her stop and look back up to him. "And you will leave her be."

"Humph," Abbas grumbled, turning away from them. "I weep for our future. You two are unfit for the Brotherhood."

Altaïr did not speak nor move from his stand until Ann could found it in herself to move up to his side. She could see the contemplation in his eyes and the restraint in his posture to keep from starting something with Abbas. Had she kept moving, she wondered if he would remain standing there. She reached to him, taking a light tug on his sleeve to bring his attention away from the other Assassin, and motioned back to the large open doors of the castle-like structure with a faint smile pulling over her face. "Come on… Al Mualim's waiting." _And I seriously need to sleep…_

He simply nodded, not saying another word before he continued along with her into the building and to where their Master waited by his desk.

.:*~*:.

"You've done well." Al Mualim rose from his desk, looking to the two hooded people before him. His good eye fell on Ann, taking note of her tired state. "You look exhausted, child. Are these missions proving too much for you?"

Ann simply shook her head. "No, sir." She faltered slightly when caught the raise of his brow at the term of 'sir'. "I am still adjusting to being here, but I am adapting."

"She is refining her strength and keeping up better than expected," Altaïr spoke up.

"Hm." Al Mualim turned his eye back to Altair. He almost expected him to speak out against her, to insist going out about his missions singularly. Though the report from Malik detailed some complications, he knew Altaïr had dealt with Talal on his own. "Very well, but this time she is to actually assist you in your assassinations. I realize she was injured during your investigations. Remember, Altaïr, that you must not repeat your mistake at Solomon's Temple. This time, you both got lucky."

"That was n—," Altaïr bite back his words, knowing that any argument was not going to work in his favor. Ann remained silent. She knew very well that this was no place for her to speak in on Altaïr's behalf, she didn't even know exactly what all happened save from Malik had told her after she had suffered her injury in Jerusalem. She glanced back over to Altaïr briefly. He was different compared to how she first met him, less abrasive at least, but what else was she to say? She was unsure exactly how many days she had been here now even though they felt like an eternity to her, and clearly here she was right in the middle of something.

"You are still learning, Altaïr." Al Mualim straightened his posture as he paced behind his desk. "Still, you are doing well, Altaïr. Even with your new accomplice. I trust you will continue to do so."

"Yes, Master…"

"Good," Al Mualim continued. "Three of the nine lay dead, and for this you have my thanks. But do not think to rest upon your laurels. Your work has just begun."

"I'm yours to command, Master," Altaïr spoke calmly. For reasons unknown to her, that answer left Ann a little unsettled.

"King Richard, emboldened by his victory at Acre, prepares to move south towards Jerusalem. Salāḥ ad-Dīn is surely aware of this. And so he gathers his men before the broken citadel of Arsuf."

"Would you have me kill them both then?" Altaïr asked. "End their war before it begins in earnest?"

_War? King Richard…? As in King Richard of England? Like from the Robin Hood folklore? What was it that King Richard stayed away from England from again…? I know it's a war, but which one…? The Third Crusade! Is this the war they're talking about now? Oh man, just what have I gotten myself into here?_

"No," Al Mualim answered, pacing a few steps behind his desk. "To do so would scatter their forces, and subject their realm to the bloodlust of ten thousand aimless warriors. It will be many days before they meet, and while they march, they do not fight. You must concern yourself with more immediate threat. The men who pretend to govern in their absence."

"Give me names and I'll give you blood."

"So I will," Al Mualim started. "Abu'l Nuquod, the wealthiest man in Damascus, Majd Addin, regent of Jersusalem, William of Montferrat, liege lord of Acre."

"What are their crimes?"

"Greed, arrogance, the slaughter of innocents. Walk amongst the people of their cities. You'll learn the secrets of their sins. Do not doubt that these men are obstacles to the peace we seek."

"Then they will die."

"Another one of your ranks is restored. And to you," Al Mualim's eye fell on Ann. "A new weapon will be given to you, a crossbow and arrows. Perhaps this weapon will be more suited in your favor."

A grin pulled over her lips. _A crossbow. Perfect. _"Perhaps so," she responded. "Projectile weaponry is more my forte."

"Do not think this means you can drop the sword," Altaïr added. "You must learn every weapon at your disposal.

_Way to kill the mood… _She grumbled, "Dare I wonder how many more lessons you have up your sleeve." She caught the smallest hint of a smirk over his lips as she glanced his way.

"Are you two finished?" Al Mualim interceded before Altaïr could add another comment. The Master of the Assassin's moved over to the side, reaching in to one of the small cages that lined the wall where they kept their carrier pigeons. "Return to me as each man falls, that we may better understand their intentions." As he spoke, he opened the door of the cages and the birds flew free, flying through the windowless frame behind him. Ann counted three that took off, one for each city they were to fly to.

"And to the both of you," he turned back to face them once more. "I expect you not to unnecessarily delay your missions. While I have instructed you to work together, there is one thing that you both are to bear in mind. You will be spending a lot of time in the other's company. It would be unwise to let your minds wander aimlessly that could jeopardize your ability to see each man to their end. That is your one task. Do not let your own thoughts or acts of foolish behavior get in the way."

Ann cocked a brow at that order. _Just what is this guy insinuating here? _She held back her tongue, already not liking the topic Al Mualim had brought up. Rather, she felt insulted by it! _Does he really think me to seduce Altaïr to distract him from his missions? I've only been here for so long, but even I can tell the guy is more than dedicated to his work here to regain his title! I know he doesn't know me very well—but really? Can't a couple of people work together without any complication such as THAT coming in? Even if so, he doesn't have the right to tell me what I should and shouldn't do! If I wanted, I coul— _She stopped herself before her own little rant in her head would eventually get the better of her, much less bring in the very thoughts of her and Altaïr… _No. There's no place for that here. I don't even know how long I will be in this world. To even consider such something like that…!_

_Come on now, calm down… it's just business… and nothing more. It will never be anything more than a partnership… _Even with that thought in mind, her eyes shifted back to Altaïr who stood firm in his stance and unfazed by the words of his Master. His stature was solid and difficult to read. It made her wonder just what exactly was going through his mind after Al Mualim made such a declaration.

"I understand," Altaïr answered simply. Ann let her gaze fall away.

"Good," Al Mualim took a few steps back to them, his eye falling on Ann as he moved around his desk. "Take care, both of you. Your recent work has likely attracted the attention of the city guard. They'll be more suspicious than they've been in the past."

At his last words, Al Mualim retreated to the bookshelves off to their right, leaving them to prepare for their next mission. Altaïr was the first to move, stepping to the table to retrieve the crossbow. Alongside it was a small quiver with at least ten arrows nestled within.

"We'll leave as soon as the sun rises," Altaïr spoke as he turned back to face Ann, holding the crossbow out to her. "Now's your time to rest."

As soon as the weapon was placed in her grasp, Altaïr pulled away, taking his leave. She looked after him, watching him go until he disappeared at the end of the staircase below. She turned her eyes back to the crossbow and the quiver that remained on the table, hesitating in her own movements.

_Why does it feel like things just got more complicated…?_

.:*~*:.

A full night's rest was more than what she needed. Passing out before the sun could even set guaranteed her arise before it could breach the sky. Even as she slipped out of the room they had designated for her, she found the entire place to be eerily quiet. The few Assassins that were awake were the ones guarding the fortress, ensuring the safety of the city. None of them moved to oppose her, though she could feel the shift in their gaze follow her until she stepped out into the courtyard. The sun still had not risen, but she could see the lighting in the sky, the deep indigos of the horizon cascading into the paler hues behind the rigid mountains. Her fingers could almost trace the streaks of clouds exposed by the under glow.

Altaïr was still nowhere to be seen, though that did not surprise her. Lightly adjusting the strap of her crossbow that now rested comfortably over the bag containing her violin, she pushed herself forward, making her way out into the city itself and down the steep hillside. The streets were completely bare of life all the way down to the very gate that remained open to the Kingdom. The only other form of life other than the night guards and the horses that stood just outside the city was the one white hooded figure that was tending to his white horse.

"I'm beginning to wonder if you even sleep at all," she started. Altaïr barely moved, save for the glance he cast in her direction. His face could not even be seen at all from what little light there was to begin with.

"I get what I need." He turned back to his horse, ensuring it got plenty of water before he would climb onto the large animal. "Let's go, your horse is ready."

She eyed him curiously for a second before she pulled back to retrieve her horse. By this point at least, she could pull herself onto the horse without too much trouble, though she knew she was still considerably slow compared to her fellow Assassin. The moment she was seated on the horse, Altaïr tugged the reins, leading his horse out of the stable with her tailing shortly behind.

"Sooo," Ann started once they entered the kingdom. "How far off is the city we're going to…? In fact, where are we going to first?"

"Damascus, it's half a day's travel."

"Ah… who's our target there again?"

"Abu'l Nuquod."

"Abu'l… Nuquod," she mused lightly, trying to make sure she got the name just right. Her eyes turned back to the Assassin before her who kept himself a few paces ahead. Her brow furrowed slightly before she encouraged her horse to pick up its pace until she came up to his side. "Damascus, is that where we were before Jerusalem?"

"No, Acre." She eyed him, knowing he was aware of her scrutiny, but before she could say anything else, he flicked the reins of his horse and the animal erupted into a canter. Ann's brow furrowed before she too commanded her horse to run after him, making sure to pick up speed. As soon as Altaïr realized this, he changed his horse's canter into a full gallop. The day was still early enough that they did not have to worry as much for patrolling guards.

_Oh no you don't! _Her horse immediately sprinted into its gallop, chasing after the Assassin as fast as she could. She kept a tight hold on the reins and most of her weight shifted into her feet in the saddle's footholds. She focused as much as she could on her balance and each turn, making sure she kept her posture just right to avoid falling off entirely.

He was fast, even as he led his horse to leap over large fallen trees and stones to cut corners. In her efforts to keep up, she attempted each leap, nearly falling off or being jolted too far forward on her horse whenever the large animal landed back on the ground, but she managed to hold firm and keep her eyes focused on her Assassin.

This was how it was for nearly the entire trip… A constant run, evading around corners of the streets, and bounding over large objects. Even when her muscles grew tired, he continued on, leaving her with no other option but to keep up.

She even began to wonder if this was another 'test' of his to ensure that she maintained her own balance and focus. But no—Altaïr was avoiding her, that much she was certain of!

"Altaïr!" she called out after him, but he kept onward. All the way up until they had reached the outskirts of the city and he finally pulled his horse to a complete stop by one of the stables.

"Just what the hell was that all about?" she restrained the urge to snap as soon as her horse caught up to him. He merely spared her a sideways glance before he jumped off his horse and started toward the side where a group of scholars lingered. "H-Hey…!"

She swung her leg back over the horse and hurried after him, reaching him just as he camouflaged himself within the group. She grumbled under her breath before she followed suit and the group began to make their way to the gate. This time, even as she kept her hood low enough to conceal her face from the men guarding the gates, her eyes did not waver from Altaïr's form even for the slightest moment. Everything else nearly became a blur and time slowed as she anticipated the capture of her Assassin.

The second he broke free me moved on quick feet, taking a turn for one of the secluded alleyways until he found a route where no guards could take note of them. Again, she ran after him up until the very moment they disappeared from the main crowd. The second she even turned down the alley, she looked up just in time to see him disappear over the end of one of the ladders leading to the rooftops. _Shit! _She scrambled onto the structure, rushing after him just in time to see him bounding from the other end of the roof to the next.

_It's day one all over again! _She bolted, running as fast as her feet could carry her before she leaped over to the next roof, barely making the clearing before she forced herself forward to keep up with him. For the most part, it was just leaping from roof to roof, though she did occasionally nearly miss a landing, but was lucky enough to snag hold of a ledge and pry herself back up. Each time, she half expected Altaïr to disappear from sight completely, but each time she missed a footing, she found him stopped, waiting for her to pull herself back up before he would continue on.

It was not until he reached the entrance of the Assassin's Bureau of the city did he stop in his tracks entirely to wait for her to catch up. This was now her chance as she ran after him. Her focus remaining solely on him, there was more strength and motivation behind her now as she threw herself onto the roof of the Bureau. He did not move, much less turn to acknowledge her arrival even if he was aware of her catching up, and this she took advantage of.

Not once did she slow in her pace even as he moved to the entrance of the Bureau. Without a second thought she hurtled herself at him, tackling him from behind until they both fell forwards into the building. "Uhf!" he grunted in surprise, the air nearly being knocked from his lungs, before his hands just barely managed to snag hold of the latticework edge, preventing a rather nasty fall. Ann, who fell forward with him, still hung onto him with her arms tightly wrapped around his waist. "What are you doing!?"

"You lost focus!" she snapped right back at him. He gritted his teeth together before he released his hold of the latticework and they both dropped straight to the hard floor where she stumbled backwards and landed on some of the cushions, somehow managing to catch herself before she could land and crush her violin. She propped herself up with her arms enough to keep her instrument safely away from the floor as her narrowed gaze shot back up to the Assassin.. Altaïr, now straightening his posture, turned back to look at Ann directly, the first time he turned to fully face her since their debriefing with Al Mualim.

"We are to complete our missions without foolish behavior, did you not learn that?" There was anger in him, though he kept his tone level even as her eyes locked on to his.

"So clearly the obvious thing to do is to leave your partner behind and limit any if not all contact whatsoever and put as much distance possible between them, so logical!" she countered. "The act itself is foolish beyond reason. There's a difference between acting foolish and working together to execute the plans efficiently!"

There was a flicker in his eyes, a subtle change of something that she could not place behind the frustration he clearly displayed. Doubt…? Confusion? Confliction? His mouth opened to say more against her, but the entrance of the Rafiq of Damascus rendered him silent.

"Altaïr…?" The man seemed to be of similar age to both Altaïr and Malik though a little older as he stepped into the resting room. "Ah, is this the girl Al Mualim has mentioned? This Ann Ilizah-beth Dilahny?" A smile pulled over his face. "Truly I do envy you, to be the first Assassin of our Creed to work alongside a woman! Well, not where you were beaten and stripped of your rank, but I envy everything else! Oh, except for the terrible things the other Assassins say about you. But yes, aside from the failure and the hatred, yes, aside from those things I envy you very much!"

This was when Ann first broke eye contact with Altaïr, looking on to the Rafiq nearly baffled by his words.

"I do not care what the others think or say!" Altaïr managed to regain his calm air, though pulling his eyes away from Ann proved difficult, the moment she looked away gave him the opportunity to turn back toward the Rafiq as well. "I'm here to do a job. Abu'l Nuquod, what can you tell me of the merchant king?"

"Only that he must be a very bad man if Al Mualim has sent you to see him," the Rafiq remarked just as Ann began to pull herself back to her feet. "He keeps to his own kind, wrapped in the finery of the city's Noble District. A busy man, always up to something. I'm sure if you spent some time amongst his type, you'll learn all you need to know about him."

"And where would you have me begin my search?" Ann glanced to Altaïr, finding his gaze focused back on her from under his hood.

"If I were you, I'd start with the Omayyad Mosque and Souk Sarouja, both of which are west of here. Further to the northwest is Salāḥ ad-Dīn's Citadel. It's a popular meeting spot and has proved a reliable source of loose tongues in the past. Yes, these three places should serve your needs."

"My thanks for your guidance, Rafiq. We'll return when we've gathered the necessary information." That was the only time Altaïr tore his eyes away from Ann's, turning back to the wall to climb back out to the roof. Ann watched him climb for brief second before she sighed and loosened one of the straps around her chest and pulled the bag containing her violin off.

"Is it alright if I entrust this here with you?" she asked, holding her bag out to the Rafig who only seemed to know how to smile.

"Why yes, my fair lady," he grinned as he took the bag from her hold. "I will ensure to its safety during your visit to the city."

Ann smiled in return. "Thank you, Rafiq." Turning on her heel, she began to climb her way out after Altaïr, whom she was sure was waiting impatiently at the top.


	14. Chapter 14

Thank you so much to those of you who have reviewed my story thus far! I hope to keep posting at least one chapter a week even as college classes will be starting up next week. I'm having too much fun with this story to simply let it sit idly by itself for too long. :) But thank you all again to those who've been reading, following, and especially reviewing my chapters! I hope you enjoy this new installment~

* * *

"Ah—!" Her foot barely managed to land on the next building with ease as it slipped out from under her and she dropped completely onto the roof, landing roughly on her side. She grunted inwardly as she managed to push herself up. _That's going to be a bad bruise…_ She looked up, expecting to see Altaïr waiting on the next building, but instead found his hand extended out to her. She did not even know what to think at first before she reached up to take it.

Even as he pulled her back up to her feet, ever since they had left the Bureau, neither one of them had spoken a single word to each other. But then again, how can they when one is sprinting away and the other is trying her best to keep from falling to the streets? Leaping and running around narrow beams, scaling different levels occasionally with no ladder nearby.

Altaïr turned, already walking over to the other side of the building. "You know," Ann spoke as soon as she had regained her breath. "It helps to inform the one you're working with exactly where we're going first."

"You are just to keep up." He jumped off the roof, landing on a long beam that connected to the building across the street, but this time he did not run straight to the other side. Instead, he turned to face one side of the street and bounded to another post, then another, and the next until he reached the end and his hands caught an iron rod that allowed him to swing down to the ground. He turned back, looking back up to Ann who returned his stare in disgruntlement.

_Clearly, you expect too much of me._ To her luck, the street he chose to descend to was empty and narrow, saving them from any worry of onlookers or guards becoming suspicious of their actions. She stepped out onto the wooden beam, focusing on maintaining her balance as she turned to look on to the other beams Altaïr had thrown himself across. She gulped, trying to ignore the height she was now standing at. A glance down and it was at least three stories to the ground below. The wooden joists Altaïr had used had a slight decent, making his way to the street easy.

_You can do this, Ann… Just think it's just like some of the more intensive training and rehearsals back at the studio. Yeah, i-it's definitely like that! Balance, grace, accuracy, and focus—j-just without any twirls or music and with a 35 to 40 foot drop… _

She jumped to the first post, landing with ease, but she could feel her balance wavering and she pushed herself off to the next on before she could find herself falling off. _Y-Yeah! Only halfway there now! _She secured her footing before she jumped to the next beam, almost certain that she would make it with no problem whatsoever, only this one proved otherwise as her foot slid clear over the surface. She gasped, trying to act fast and use her other foot to catch the post, but it was too late and any form of steadiness was already lost and she found herself falling backwards.

"A-Altaïr!" It all happened so fast! Her eyes thrown skyward and her hands trying to find something to catch, but to no avail, she knew her head would be the first to break her fall. She did not even hear the feet that sped against the cobble stone street before sliding under her with a pair of arms catching hold of her just barely a few feet before she could hit the ground.

"Are you alright?" he asked, her hand clutching tightly on the cloth of his sleeves, finally finding something to clasp onto. Her form was shaking from the fall and her expression was almost dazed with shock. "Ann." He carefully set her down, keeping an arm secured around her as he brought a hand up to carefully tap against her cheek. "Ann!"

A faint gasp and her eyes regained their focus and she looked up to see his clear amber ones. "You're safe," he continued. Her hands that were still trembling slowly loosened their hold on his robes. He was slow as he carefully pulled her back up until she could properly stand on her own two feet, but his hold did not slack as her footing was chancy at best.

"Ann—?" His mention of her name ended in a subtle grunt when she had found enough strength in herself to throw her arms around him in a tight embrace that startled him above anything else. Her form still trembling yet still strong enough to act in such a way nearly stunned him. Her silence alone was unsettling to him. He had no idea what to do or even to expect from this.

"Ann…," he carefully set one hand on her shoulder to pull back to see her face. This was a whole different side of her that he did not expect. He was waiting for her to yell or complain about what just happened or simply point the finger at him for running so far ahead and leaving her to trip, stumble, and fall. But even as he pulled back to get a better look at her, she kept her head low to keep from looking directly at him.

"Hey," He reached up to tilt her face back up, but as soon as he caught the slightest glimpse of her face and the faintest glint of water in her eyes, she pulled back from his hold entirely.

"W-Where are we going…?" her voice was faint, matching the subtle quiver of her form, as she pulled her hood back on and kept her head low to keep him from seeing her face.

His brow furrowed as a frown pulled over his face. He moved forward until he was just inches away from her and his hand took hold of her chin and jerked her head back up until he could see her face clearly. "You always seem to speak your mind freely," he remarked, spotting the faint tears building in the corner of her eyes. "So speak. You're safe now."

Her fingers curled lightly into fists at her sides as she tried to find her words. "I-I don't mind running over rooftops," her voice became a bit stronger. "A-As long as they're not too high."

"Why?"

"I-I," she stammered. "I-I'm terrified of heights, okay?" She pulled back from his hand that still held her chin up, turning away from him slightly as she quickly rubbed the tears away before they even had a chance to fall.

"Why didn't you say anything before," he asked, eyeing her carefully.

"You've been avoiding me since Masyaf, remember…?" she slowly glanced back to him, spotting him shift his head until his hood shaded his eyes from her. "Altaïr?"

"We'll deal with this later," he immediately answered before he turned on his heel. "Right now we have a job."

Ann remained where she stood as he started to back walk down the empty street, watching him move away before she could bring her feet to move forward with her hands rubbing her arms to calm the chills that still ran through her every other second. She let go a deep breath before she found enough ease and balance in her posture to walk after him.

.:*~*:.

The metallic sound of the blade rang out over the screams of the frantic crowd as Altaïr's sword clashed and swerved against the soldier that opposed him. Ann, though not far behind him, had barely evaded the swing of another guard that had bolted in as soon as he saw the fight break out. A woman shrank back, holding her hands up in front of her face as she tried to keep away from the danger before her. It was mere moments that passed as Altaïr held the men back, blocking each and every once of their strikes before he would run his sword clear through their abdomens.

Ann, though managing to take down the occasional soldier, at least proved capable of keeping them at bay until another advanced toward her from the side. She had just pushed one away from her before she caught sight of him just in time and she could swing her sword clear at his side, but only met with the block of his blade. This gave the other guard she originally faced to charge her in the midst of her distraction. Her eyes shot back to him, and without a second's hesitation, she pulled one of her daggers free and threw it straight at the man, the weapon slicing straight through his skull.

"Wench!" The guard snapped at her, knocking her sword away with his own as he lunged for her. His sword raised high and ready to fall down on her, she moved to try and block his attack until another sword swung into view, slicing the man clear across his arm, cutting straight through the bone. A blood curdling cry resonated from the guard before Altaïr snatched the man by the collar and shoved his sword into his ribcage, silencing him where he stood.

Blood trickling down the soldier's mouth as he began to slump forward, Altaïr kicked him back and pulled his weapon free from the body before slipping it back into its sheath. He turned back to Ann, ensuring she was still standing and uninjured before he turned back to the woman who had cowered back from the fight.

"T-Thank you so much," she exclaimed in relief. "I'm so glad you came when you did! Another minute more and they would have made off with me!" Her eyes remained focused on Altaïr even as Ann came up to his side. "I don't have anything to offer you, but I'd still like to return the favor for all that you've done for me! I'll be sure to let my brothers know of the kind things you've done here."

Altaïr merely nodded to her before he turned on his heel, signaling to Ann that they needed to remove themselves from the area fast before any other guards could show up to grow suspicious and attack them. Through the crowd they moved, weaving around the civilians and occasionally pushing them out of the way until they reached a point where they were clear from any guard's line of sight. They took several turns around streets and alleys of the rich district until they found themselves deep within the rich district. They now stood within a square where a large fountain rested in the middle surrounded by benches. The area was full of people with several gathering amongst themselves, guards that walked in a unit around the square, and even the occasional sickly man that paced around in circles, mumbling to himself.

It was here where Altaïr's pace slowed, his eyes scanning through the people around him. Ann kept a short distance behind him, keeping her hood pulled a little further over her head to keep many people from noticing her. Her eyes shifted from side to side, watching those around her and keeping clear of the deranged man's sight whenever he strolled too close for comfort.

"The last of it has been delivered." A voice caught her attention and she glanced over to the side to see two men in particular that had secluded themselves from the crowd around them. Before Altaïr could move too far ahead of her, she reached out and tugged at his sleeve to stop him from moving away. Not even a single word passed them as he turned back to face her. The only hint of communication between them was when Ann had glanced back toward the two men that stood a few yards away.

"Good. Make sure the Merchant King also knows it wasn't easy arranging a shipment like this," the smaller man spoke, his tone carrying what sounded like frustration.

"It is only wine!" the other snapped before pulling back from his small outburst. "Some can be fickle in their faith."

"Your holy book says something on the subject, I believe. Leave them that they may eat and enjoy themselves and that hope may beguile them for they will soon know. And never did we destroy a town that had a term made known." Ann's brow furrowed at that last sentence. _What exactly are they scheming with this? _She turned her eyes back to Altaïr, finding his gaze had not turned away from her since he had turned to face her.

"What's that supposed to mean?" The taller man was growing weary almost as much as Ann had.

"Never mind. Be about your business."

"As you wish." The men soon turned away from each other, going on about their business once more as Ann and Altaïr remained where they stood, unwavering in their stand.

"He's planning something," Ann finally spoke.

"A feast it seems." Altaïr added.

"But what is he going to do with his guests?"

"Whatever it is, he is not bothered with providing his guests plenty of wine even when it is prohibited by his own religion. One can only wonder what impious act he's planning."

"You don't think he'll…," Ann's voice trailed off, knowing fully well that Altaïr was more than aware of her own conclusions.

"Let's keep moving." Altaïr's eyes shifted back to her hand that still had a light hold on his sleeve. This must have caught her attention as she was quick to retract her hand before anything else could be done.

"By all means," she started. "Lead the way."

.:*~*:.

Time had a knack for losing itself as the day moved on. By now, Altaïr and Ann had combed through the entire rich district of Damascus, scooping out all they could learn about the Merchant King. By now, they believed they had learned all they needed to know about what the very man was planning. He was very well hated amongst his people, spending the money he took from them to lavish himself with celebrations and feasts for his own entertainment while the people of the city struggled with their constant hunger. Why, there had even been some forms of payments to the other targets Al Mualim had ordered for their assassination: Jerusalem's regent, Majd Addin and William of Montferrat. But there was one thing that still stood in their way. Where were they to make the strike? It was already made clear after Altaïr had interrogated a public speaker that it would be best to attack the Merchant King once he begins to address his guests, but how were they to get to him?

Abu'l Noquod's next feast was tomorrow and while Altaïr's plan may have been simple enough to just run in, find a way to reach his quarters, and strike, Ann did not think that to be so easy. There was no telling how long he would even speak to those attending his feast or even what he was ultimately planning to do. One thing they both knew was not to eat, drink, or so much as touch anything that he would have to offer at this extravagant party.

Now amid the roofs of the city once more, Altaïr moved with a slower stride and kept route to an easier level for Ann to keep up with. This, she already knew was irritable to him, but what could she do about it now? She was a hindrance… and they both knew it.

Though daylight still had its hold of the day, the sun was dipping low to the mountains of the Kingdom. Altaïr was now making the path back toward the Assassin's Bureau, believing himself that they had all they needed to complete their mission. While Ann tailed shortly behind, occasionally she would let her gaze wander to the landscape of the city. Altaïr had just leapt across a narrow alley to the next building, not once phasing in his step as he continued on, when Ann caught wind of something.

She hesitated just a few feet from the edge of building when a shadow overhead whipped across her vision. Immediately, she turned to look off to the side, her eyes quickly searching for whatever had made movement, but nothing was out of place. Though she could see nothing amiss, she could already feel her heart begin to pound, resonating in her ears. _Something's not right…_

She turned back to where Altaïr had moved and already she could see that he had just cleared the next rooftop. It was only at that point did he even notice that Ann was not close behind him and he stopped. Already she could hear his own thoughts commanding her to hurry up and keep up which she merely rolled her eyes to. _I need more practice at this if I'm ever going meet his standards…_

For an instant, she forgot her sudden need for alert. In an instant, she heard the shuffle of feet on the ground. It was an instant when the air gave her a sudden chill before she spun back around, panic surging through her veins. It was that instant her eyes fell on the black hooded man who solemnly stood just a few yards away from her.

"A-Al-," her voice caught in her throat as her feet began to shutter back. Her body rigid at the very sight of him and her eyes wide with fear of what he could possibly do this time. It was only when he took one step toward her did she snap back to her senses. "A-Altaïr!"

The man advanced toward her, but just before she could move any further back or even pull her sword free from its sheath, a gust of air had blown past her just as a blur of white crossed her vision and she found Altaïr between her and the black hooded man. Short blade withdrawn, he was ready for any move the man even dared to make, but for what felt like an eternity they stood there waiting for the other to act. Altaïr waiting for any strike to counter and the black hooded man to see what they would do at the slightest hint of movement.

Slowly, the man shifted, only bringing one hand up to show to a pouch nestled against his sash. His fingers slipped inside and carefully pulled out two folded pieces of parchment paper. He must have taken note of the confusion over Altaïr's and Ann's faces before he flicked the folded documents over to them.

"Safety and peace…" His voice, though deep and hollow, came as a startle to Ann. "Servants have left a scaffold outside of the Merchant King's quarters. You can use that to reach him. Those maps will not only show you where to go to get to him, but also where he keeps his guards."

"You're—," Ann managed to bring her voice back though Altaïr still remained skeptical of his actions. "You're helping us…?"

"Give me reason why we should believe you?" Not once did Altaïr even spare the folded maps on the ground before him a single glance. The hooded man, though half of his face was still covered, kept his dark brown eyes focused on Ann alone.

"I apologize for my behavior before," he acted as if he had not even heard Altaïr's question. "Is your wound any better now?"

She was taken aback as Altaïr was growing impatient with this newcomer. "I—yes, much better than before."

"You still have yet to give a reason as to why we should trust anything you say," Altaïr snapped before he could say anything back to Ann, his short blade gripped tightly in his hand.

"I aided your companion where you had failed," the man answered bluntly. Already Ann could see the muscles under Altaïr's robes grow tense from his words. It took all of his own strength to keep himself back. "My help is not for you specifically, Assassin." Ann could hear the strain of his leather gloves as his fist tighten over the hilt of his short blade. "Take of it what you will, Assassin."

The man shrouded in black robes had turned, moving to slip away from the roof though he kept a close watch on Altaïr from the corner of his eye. It was just as he was about to take his leap off the building when he stopped and turned back, his gaze falling back to Ann. "And should your plan go awry… know that the Merchant King is clearly drawn to the extravagant. Food of finest quality, beauty… music."

Ann was struck silent just as he had leaped away from the roof, fleeing before Altaïr could lose his patience and rip any dagger from his belt. _Does he…? No, there's no way he could… But… How!? Why would he even suggest music? Has he been following and listening to us?_ By the time she could even snap herself away from her thoughts, Altaïr had already bolted over to the other side of the roof, looking around through the streets below and the nearby buildings to find any sight left of this newcomer. Though he kept himself calm and collective, Ann knew he was more than just put off by what the hooded man said.

"Altaïr—," she cut herself short when he turned back to her. He did not even need to say a word as the look on his face said it all. Even as he slipped his short blade back into its place behind him, he moved back over to her.

"He was the one who took you," he stated more than questioned as he came up to her.

"Yes, but—"

"Under no circumstances are you to leave my side during these missions. I don—"

"What are you, my babysitter!?" she suddenly snapped at him, nearly catching him off guard. "Altaïr, I'm grateful for your concern—really, but if we are going to make any difference at all then you're going to need to help me get better at defending myself. I know you're tired of putting up with me already and whether you like it or not, accidents will still happen and somehow we're going to end up getting separated!"

"You think to underestimate me?" he advanced on her, his words almost hissing through his teeth. "I am a Master Assassin and I will see to it that he will not come near you again. He took you against your will once, who is to say that he will not try anything like that again or worse!?"

"You've been demoted, remember!" she shot back, instantly regretting it the second she saw the anger flaring in his amber eyes and the grit of his teeth. "I-I am just trying to tell you that not everything always goes according to plan! I don't know what he'll try but—"

"I may have been stripped of my title," he growled under his breath, backing her toward the edge of the roof. "And now I am sent out to retrieve it like a sniveling dog, but do not think that means my skill has been stripped from me as well."

"A-Altaïr—," she stammered as she backed away from him, an inkling of fear surfacing in her voice as she side glanced the edge of the building drawing closer.

"I can show you how to defend yourself, but do you really think you can learn how to properly fight within a few days!?" He continued toward her.

"Altaïr—!" she felt her feet hit the slight rise of the roof, nearly making her stumble and lose her own balance, but just before her body could begin to sway backwards, his hands snatched her by the arms, roughly pulling her back toward him.

"I have saved your life on more than one occasion," his tone had calmed by this point, though the rise and vexation behind it were still there. Her gaze now left with no other choice to meet his and for an instant she thought she saw something else aside from anger flicker across his eyes. "I will still teach you to fight, but there are times where you will listen to me."

"Okay…," she breathed lightly, not once looking away from him. "I'll listen to you…"

His hold on her arms began to slacken at her words. "But Altaïr." He paused. "We are working together on these missions… and so we need to work together more than anything else."

"And?"

"I need you to have a little more trust in me and the decisions I make…" Amber eyes unwavering from emerald, Altaïr could feel the anger gradually fading from him.

"And what do you suggest we do…?" he exhaled slowly.

"That we at least consider the maps he brought us." She kept still, waiting to see if his temper would flare back up, but to her relief he had collected himself and gained back rationality as his gaze finally broke from hers to look back to the two pieces of parchment paper lying precariously on the roof behind them. For a moment, she believed he wouldn't listen. That he would push her suggestion out of the way and drag her back to the Bureau. His gaze only fell back to her for a mere second before he let go of her and stepped back to take the two documents and slip them into the pouch of his belt. The simple act alone, she did not know how big of a smile that pulled over her lips as relief finally settled in. "Thank you, Altaïr…"

He barely turned back to her with a slight nod. "Let's go back to the Bureau."


	15. Chapter 15

_Just take a deep breath… This will be over with fast._

The bow shifted and moved smoothly over the strings. Heart pounding, and feeling hotter than ever compared to her uniform, this was the last thing she would have expected.

_Just a bit longer…_

His lips curled into a smirk, an expression that was enough to make her skin crawl. He pulled himself up to his feet, the chair barely scratching against the floor as he moved, and slowly approached her as she continued to play. His hand reached over to carefully stroke the vermillion locks away from her face, letting his fingers slowly and carefully graze over her soft skin.

"Don't stop," he cooed between curved lips at the slightest hint of hesitation in her music when he touched her. "Keep playing…"

She merely nodded. _J-Just a little longer._

.:*~*:.

"Rafiq." The man behind the counter of the Bureau turned, a warm welcoming smile pulling over his lips the second his eyes befell her.

"Ahh, Safety and peace upon you, Ann," he chimed. "To what do I owe this lovely visit? You and Altaïr are not to embark on your mission until the feast tomorrow. Is there something concerning you with this task?"

"You could say that…," Ann started uneasy as she slowly stepped into the room, occasionally glancing back to the door behind her. Altaïr had currently removed himself from the Bureau, scouting the city for anything else that could be of use to them. Since they had returned and informed the Rafiq of what they had learned in the city, Altaïr had left out any mention of the hooded man that had given them the maps of the Merchant King's estate, but the last words he had given her left her unsure of whatever plan of action Altaïr had. She was sure it was to be similar to the assignment he had with Garnier back in Acre. Sneak in. Strike. Flee.

"You seem distracted," the Rafiq tilted his head in curiosity. "What is troubling you to bring such a face?"

"It's probably nothing," Ann turned back to him with a smile pulling over her lips as she slipped the hood back off her head. "I guess it's just me over thinking about the mission tomorrow."

"What kinds of thoughts are these?" he inquired further. "Is it fear or worry that you could cut things too close with any of the guards…? Rest assured, you have Altaïr there to make sure everything goes according to plan! How I do so envy him, save for all the things the others say and what happened to him, still though. You could ask for no better Assassin to work with."

"He is very skilled and dedicated to his work," she admittedly muttered. "But I can't help but wonder if something else might happen or set us back in this."

"Such thoughts are dangerous," Rafiq's enthusiasm fell to concern in his tone. "Unless you can trust yourself in your own skills and withhold the search for something bad to happen, then something will indeed to wrong. As an Assassin of our Brotherhood, we have learned not to fear death, but to embrace it. That is why we do what we do and why Altaïr can so fearlessly fight the way he does! Such skill, such precision, he is truly a Master Assassin! You too, my child, must learn to embrace death and use your own skill to assist him in these missions."

"But I am nothing like him—I cannot bring myself to the limits he can push himself to. Not anywhere close!" she immediately countered. "To be anywhere close to his level, I feel, would take years to try and get right."

"You are not Altaïr," the Rafiq smiled warmly. "Ann is what you are. You will find your own way to make the most of these missions. Use what you know you can do, and the more you test your limits, the more you will surprise yourself in what you can truly accomplish."

His words had rendered her silent, not knowing what she could possibly say against them. They did hold truth… though what good could her skill do here? Her eyes fell back to the bag that rested on the table at the corner of the room that kept her violin concealed. Her skill was not so much in fighting as it was performance, but she knew very well that her violin had no place here—it was not even part of this time period in the very least! But even with that, she knew that she could do many other things when in front of an audience… but how to really set herself apart without being condemned from whatever they would consider inappropriate or not was the tricky part.

"Rafiq…," she started, turning her eyes directly back to him. "Do you know what the Merchant King might have at his feast tomorrow…? I am new to the customs of this Kingdom… so I am not sure what someone of his status may do to entertain his guests."

"Well now," the Rafiq mused, lifting his gaze up in thought as his hand lightly rubbed the rough black beard at his chin. "Abu'l Noqoud will go out of his way for the extravagant… So I would assume he would inquire dancers—concubines or courtesans I believe more specifically. Music… the best he could possibly get for this grand and bountiful feast. Oh, and he may even secretly request male concubines. The occasional rumor I hear of his behavior does leave one to question. Men, women, beast, he may even have exotic creatures about. Course, this is all just a rumor I have heard."

"Oh, doesn't he sound fun…," Ann muttered, already feeling a chill run through her. _A man that will take literally anything he could get… But then, maybe I can use this to my advantage._

"Quite the contrary especially if you and Altaïr are to eliminate him," he quickly remarked.

Ann stifled a soft chuckle. "Well, I have but one request now, Rafiq."

"Please, speak," he looked back to her curiously.

"As part of the Creed, it is important to blend in with our surroundings," the Rafiq nodded in agreement. "As a woman… well, do you not think it odd for a woman to attend a feast dressed in rather… odd attire?"

"You do strike a point…," the Rafiq mused. "What is it that you request?"

"You said that the Merchant King will have concubines… or some type of dancers or musicians there. Is there any way you might know of that could help me enter that feast as an entertainer?" For a second she thought it a pointless question to even ask… but the grin that pulled back over the Rafiq's face proved her otherwise.

.:*~*:.

Stars glittered the sky over the city of Damascus. Though the city was full of inhabitants, there was one who sat closest to them all. Atop one of the highest peeks of the city, Altaïr sat over the post that jutted from the structures side with his back resting against it the side of this high tower. Though his gaze would occasionally shift downward to the city to see if anything proved amiss, he found himself watching the sky more than anything else as events from the day recollected in his mind.

_"I-I'm terrified of heights, okay!"_

_"I aided your companion where you have failed." _

His brow furrowed as he pushed himself to sit up. His eyes shifted over to the Bureau resting over in the poor district several blocks away.

_ "… there is a possibility that he's not against us. If he wanted me dead, he could have done so the moment he had me…"_

_He may not be against us… but that doesn't mean I have to like or trust him._ Eyes fixated on the Bureau off in the distance, the only image that was carving in his mind was Ann and the black hooded stranger that had made himself known to the both of them. _Already she has gotten hurt under my account and he interceded… Now he has given us information in moving about Abu'l Noqoud's home. That smile on her face when I took those documents… Is she placing more trust in him than I? Is he trying to put her against me?_

His hand clenched into a tight fist, his fingers digging into the leather glove. _I have already lost my title… I will not stand for someone else to come in and undo what I'm working for! Al Mualim may have given me a second chance at redemption, but I will not let that bastard turn the only one with me against me._

In an instant he was back on his feet, perched atop the post as he looked down to the street below. It was only a quick fluid motion as his feet glided over to the end of the wooden beam before he threw himself out into the open air. Arms spread wide like the wings of the majestic eagle, he felt the wind wipe against his face as he cut through the air. His body curled as he descended and his eyes saw the sky once more until he hit the hay wagon.

Shrouded by the night, he leapt out of the wagon without a sound as he almost flew straight to the side of one of the buildings where his hands could clasp onto the ledges of the wall and ascend straight to the rooftops. Any guards patrolling the city within the night had little chance of noticing him while he moved. Any that did only met the swift end of his taking their life with his hidden blade slicing straight through their throats before he could jump to the next platform.

At last his feet claimed the landing of the Bureau. The latticework had not closed though no candlelight flickered from within. Even as he dropped into the resting room, there was no sign of anyone of conscious mind. Though the moonlight gleamed into the room and through the tiny openings of the lattice overhead, he could see well enough to make out the figure curled over the brightly colored cushions. Weapons, belts, and hooded robe set aside, she slept comfortably. As he drew closer he could see her hair, free from its usual braid over her shoulder, fallen in waves over the pillow around her, a few locks even resting over her face.

Kneeling down beside her, his hand reached out and carefully brushed the strands away from her face, but just as he had done she stirred in her sleep, making him retract his hand quickly. Though she did not wake, he could see the look of content over her features and for an instant he felt at ease.

That is until it finally clicked in his head, and he pulled back to his feet. _What am I doing…? _He threw any more thoughts that tried to cross him away before he might do something he would later regret. He had no time to dwell on something as meek and distracting at this. With the turn of his feet, he moved to retreat to his own side of the room to take his rest for the night, but he found his eyes wandering back to her the moment he found his place in the room.

Any warning from Al Mualim to avoid acts of foolishness that echoed in his mind was growing distant and faint.

_I'm beginning to wonder if it was a mistake taking her in._

.:*~*:.

The morning had proven to be more difficult than he thought. "Rafiq," Altaïr called out to the man as he hurried through the doorway. "Where is she?"

"Ahh, did you sleep well, Altaïr?" The Rafiq smiled warmly. "I trust you are ready to finish your mission."

"Rafiq," Altaïr started coolly, "I will not ask again."

"Ann sends her apologies, Altaïr, but she could not wait and needed to move to make sure she was ready for your mission today," the Rafiq casually waved off his warning. "She had requested my help in how to go about this mission and is likely already there by now."

There was a deathly chill in the air and the Rafiq began to wonder if he had made a mistake in his choice of words. "Rafiq…"

"There is no need for worry," the Rafiq insisted, a nervous smile pulling over his face. "She is safe, you can trust me on that. She is among friends that work in the city that will help her blend in with those at the feast. For a woman like her, it would be best to avoid drawing too much negative attention."

"You two have planned this whole thing without me?" Altaïr fought to contain his voice from snapping.

"She expressed concern and you were not here. I do apologize, but she needed a little more confidence in herself to help see this mission through."

"Confidence…?"

"You are a magnificent Assassin, Altaïr. It is easy for one to feel inferior in comparison. She merely wanted to know how she could be of use here," he noticed the subtle change in Altaïr's behavior, though what it had changed to he could not quite place. "You certainly are lucky, Altaïr. I still envy you so." Though silent, the flicker of confusion over Altaïr's face brought the Rafiq to continue. "A man of such skill and perfection and now with a partner, a woman at that, who only wishes to be of use for you in your missions. Such an occurrence is so unheard of! And yet here she is, one set apart from the others, giving her best to see your success. Truly I envy you."

"And if you were me," Altaïr spoke almost quietly, "what would you do?"

The Rafiq only smiled. "Hold onto her."

.:*~*:.

She looked up to the large doors leading into the Merchant King's home. Already she could hear the voices of all the guests he had invited talking amongst themselves and having a good time, though she wondered how long that would last. She could hear her heart pounding in her chest, and her hand gripped all the more tightly over the strap that held her violin secured against her back. She wasn't dressed in her usual garb given to her by the Brotherhood, but rather that which she would consider close to a belly dancer type of attire. A long bellowing white skirt with sapphire shaded pieces layered over it that reached down to her ankles, just barely exposing her bare feet beneath its fabric; a top that exposed her midsection and cut low with that of the same deep blue as the skirt with short sleeves of white with sheer pieces of fabric pieced at her shoulders that fell down in a long curve before carefully being secured to a silver band around her wrists.

Though her crimson locks that stood out against her pale skin and the royal blue hue of her outfit and her facial features were no longer concealed by the hood her Assassin's uniform, a veil of the midnight shade fell over her face, concealing everything below her emerald eyes with silver beads that dangled just over the top, tracing a line over her cheeks and the bridge of her nose.

"Remember," a woman not much older than her that stepped close to her side started, catching Ann's attention. "the Merchant King knows you are here and if he is impressed, he may request your presence personally."

"I just hope what I do isn't considered too controversial," Ann muttered under her breath.

"This is why we stretched your foreign background, but on the contrary, your difference here will help draw his attention. You have cultural differences that can grant you a bit more of a leeway of acceptance. You will be a traveling performer… A courtesan, if you will." Ann almost tripped over her own feet at the mention of the word before she turned directly to the woman next to her. "Forgive me, but that is the way things are. A woman of any status to do what you are here for, you are here to please the male court in all that you do. With your skill, your performance, and your body, you are to please them. That is how these things are. Is that not the way it is where you are from?"

"Things… are very different from where I am from," she answered, trying to choose her words carefully.

"Hm," the woman mused lightly, carefully adjusting the veil over her head, before she guided Ann into the open courtyard where the public gathered, talking and gathering around the vast tables of food and wine. Of course, just as she expected, the guests were all male, men of noble title, whereas the only women she saw around them were the few concubines that danced closeby, enticing the men with every sashay of their hips, the elegant flick of their wrists, and smoldering glance of their eyes.

"Do not worry," the woman caught Ann's attention once more, a smile pulling over her face. "Your Rafiq has entrusted you to my care. I am also well aware that someone else will be joining you here and that he will better ensure your safety."

"But," Ann spoke softly. "Where is the Merchant King…?"

"He does not usually expose himself to the crowd except for when he needs to speak… but that does not mean he is not nearby watching everything and everyone."

Ann merely nodded before slowly letting her eyes trail back to the feast before her. Already her nerves were getting the better of her, almost like it would for one who first set their foot out on stage before a large crowd. But she was used to that by now. The only difference here was the culture that surrounded her. The role she was to play was not quite the same, though she could still perform. Even as most men were distracted by other dancers, and the bountiful amounts of food and wine for them to consume, the eyes of those nearby fell on her, tracing the lines of her form and looking in awe at the vermillion locks, that normally only held a few waves of shape, fell in soft curls at the end, barely reaching down to her mid-back.

Eyes cascaded down, hidden beneath black lashes, she reached back and slipped her bow and violin free from its fabric casing. As she positioned the instrument under her chin, the chattering around her continued, though gradually more glances began to shift her way. It was not until she had set the bow to the violin, stringing the first notes did the chatter dull.

.:*~*:.

He peered down into the courtyard, eyeing all the people that celebrated with his lavish offerings below with a disgusted look across his face. The very people who slander him and bash his very existence simply for his being different, the ones he found himself that he could never forgive. The crowd stirred as music began to play and his eyes turned to the player who was so quick to draw attention and moved lightly on her feet.

"So this is the foreign courtesan the head mistress' messenger informed me of," he commented meekly. The two guards standing close by his side remained silent though their gazes had turned to the courtyard below. The lips of the Merchant King slowly tugged back into his fat cheeks, forming a smirk. "Such a pleasant performance for their last meal…"

He shifted on his feet, his beady eyes turning to one of the guards alongside him. "See to it that she is pulled from the crowd before my speech. She will make a most excellent treat for our real guest of honor." The closet guard next to him merely gave a simple nod before he pulled back and slipped down the corridor. The King spared the girl twirling effortlessly on the ground as she played her song one last glance before he slowly pulled himself back, not letting anyone have the chance to catch him peering down into the courtyard.

"Now," The Merchant King turned on his oversized feet. "I will allow her to finish before we make the proper greeting."

.:*~*:.

The door was left ajar, allowing him the perfect chance to slip inside without so much of a notice from anyone around him. As Altaïr moved in, he could see all the people enjoying the feast, crowding around a large fountain in the middle to fill their gauntlets with wine while others strayed to the far left of the courtyard. It was at this point that he recognized the unmistakable play of Ann's instrument. Though he has yet to see her play, he has only caught sound of her melodies caught in the wind around him.

He kept himself in low profile, casually pushing himself through the crowd and toward the music. The tune was upbeat, a sense of playfulness dancing in each chorus and with it also carried a steady flow, gently lulling each note into the ears of all who listened. A sweet yet captivating song, it was all that guided him to the very source of it, to the player herself.

Of course, there were more people that had gathered around her than he first thought. While he could push himself through with ease, he knew very well that he was not to draw any attention to himself. Pushing others out of the way was one thing, but rushing straight through like a barbarian was the last thing he could permit himself to do. He could hear the astonished awes of the men around him, but as to what for, he could not see.

The melody had reached a peek and something else had occurred, making the men closer to her remark on her skill, the very way she could move with such a bizarre instrument. Altaïr pressed himself to move further through, his hands occasionally pushing someone along gently by the shoulder as he kept his head low to avoid any eye contact from any around him. He was close enough now to catch a glimpse of movement beyond them, but the ones standing at the very front of her full audience were blocking his view completely. He was so close now, he could finally see just what all the fuss was about as memories flickered across his mind. Jabal, the Rafiq of Acre had commented on her performance, and even Malik had the luxury to listen to her play just before Altaïr could return to the Bureau. Now here she was for many to see and be fortunate enough to listen to just one of her songs.

His hands had just reached out to push by the men in front of him to finally get a full view of her, but just as he had managed to slip by them, the last few notes of her song had played and the long wooden stem in her hand had slowly and very carefully slid over the few strings lining her instrument. Once again, he had missed seeing her play.

Her posture was turned slightly and her eyes were down casted, not meeting the gaze of anyone around her. Several men began to move forward, wanting to give their comments to her in her performance. This alone already left Altaïr on edge as he took several steps forward before stopping himself just as the other men did while a couple of guards stepped in to cut them off. Now was not the time to act brash or lash out even as much as he wanted to. He could hear his knuckles cracking as his hands tightened into fists by his sides as one of the guards leaned into her ear, mumbling something incoherent to even him from where he stood. Whatever it was that was spoken, they did not leave her much of a chance to speak before the guard had taken her by the arm and pulled her with him inside the Merchant King's palace.

The crowd began to shift back into their original stance. Talking amongst themselves and savoring every last drop of wine and down to the last crumb of food while he remained motionless with a silent rage ready to spill over at the slightest bother.

"Welcome, welcome!" His eyes darted toward his target on the balcony.

.:*~*:.

"I-I don't understand," she nearly stumbled after the guard that pulled her inside and up a stone stairwell. "What do you mean I am to attend to someone—am I not to simply entertain the guests at the feast?"

"You have satisfied the guests to the King's desire," the guard answered simply. "Now you are to see that the guest of honor is pleased personally."

"G-Guest of honor…?" The guard dared not to speak another syllable as he pulled her further down and around the corner of the long hall before they came up to a large set of doors carefully crafted in etchings of gold. With one hand, he pushed one of the doors open and pushed her into the large chambers of the room. As she stumbled in she quickly spun back around to face the guard, ready to snap and protest against this whole ordeal, but his voice cut her off before she had the chance.

"Robert de Sable will be with you shortly."

The door fell closed with a heavy thud and click of a lock.

_Robert de Sable…? _Ann stared toward the door, trying to figure out just what was going on and who exactly this Robert guy really was as she carefully set her bow and violin down. _What about Abu'l Noqoud? Altaïr? How will he know where to—? _Her thoughts were cut short as she could suddenly hear the cries and shouts of many people calling out from outside.

"Ah—hey!" She bolted over toward the door, grabbing the handle to try and pry it open but to no avail. "Hey! What's going on out there?! Hello! Let me out of here!" Even as she tried banging as loud as she could on the door or even throwing herself up against it in hopes of knocking it open, there was no use at all in her fervent attempts. No signs of anything budging, not even a snap or shout from anyone standing guard outside.

"Hello!" The cries outside were already muffled from the walls of the estate, but even she could tell they were beginning to escalate. Frantically, she started to look around the vast room for something that she could use to throw at the door. It was at this point she realized that she was standing in what she believed to be a guest room. A large bed, a desk, dresser and mirror, even a couple of chairs, but what caught her attention the most was how much of a European feel this room had to it.

But she couldn't let her thoughts linger on that for long. Quickly, she rushed over to snatch up one of the chairs and turned back toward the door. She was so close, rushing toward it with a stronger force than she could muster before, but the sudden jiggle of the handle forced her to freeze, nearly stumbling over her own feet. The unhinging of a lock and she immediately dropped the chair by her side. Her breathing heavy in tight lungs, wanting more than anything for it to be Altaïr she would see the second those doors swung open, but even she knew better.

This was no play. No film where it was guaranteed that the hero would come to the rescue. As the door slipped open and the man on the other side set foot in, she felt her heart sink. Tall and dressed in chainmail beneath a long white tunic with a large red cross over his chest, everything about him was intimidating; from his shaven head to his intense merciless brown eyes, and the subtle clank of his armored boots moving over the floor. His lips curled into a smirk as the door fell shut behind him.

"Abu'l has informed me you are quite talented," he commented lightly as he made his way over to her. Ann could feel her feet frozen in place, her thoughts trying to figure out what she was even to do to try and get out of this. He drew closer to her side, pausing only briefly before his eyes fell down to the chair lying precariously on the floor.

"I am curious…," he added as he leaned down and slowly pulled the chair to sit right up once more. "You do not seem like the other courtesans at all." His eyes slid back up to her as he straightened his posture once more.

She did not muster a word, nor did she make any attempt to move even as he began to circle around her. She could feel his gaze tracing her very outline, running along her every curve. Even as he moved behind her, she kept still, not even daring to look back to meet his gaze.

"Any other courtesan would be making her move the very instant I set foot through that door, yet here you are before me as stiff as can be." He returned in front of her where he could see her face clearly and her eyes could meet his. "Scared… yet daring to look me in the eye."

His hand reached out, his fingers taking hold of her chin to tilt her head further up as his eyes examined her every feature below the translucent blue veil over her face. "Are you really what you claim to be…?" His other hand reached to pull the tiny piece of fabric away, but her hand was quick to snatch his before he could try anything.

"Spoilers," she stifled any shake in her voice. "Best to keep the surprises for later."

A smirk pulled over his lips as he allowed her to move his hand away from her. Carefully, she moved, putting more space between him and her, and turned to retrieve her instrument just a few short feet away. "You have been informed of a talent of mine," she tilted her head slightly, glancing back to him from beneath her long lashes. "Surely you would wish to see?"

That smug smirk remained over his face. "I am afraid I am short on time…, but perhaps I can spare a few more minutes before you can really serve your purpose here." She felt a chill run down her spine as he casually adjusted the chair by him and took his seat. "Enlighten me."

She gave a simple nod before she brought her violin back up into play, trying her best to keep her grip from shaking. _Please, Altaïr… find me before anything can happen here._

.:*~*:.

The cries had already began to fade as many ran for their lives, fighting to reach their freedom outside the palace's high walls. The archers standing well overhead each began to fall one by one from daggers they never even saw. A man more than just light on his feet, ran around corridors and scaffolds until he could move completely out of sight over the roof before finding himself directly above the Merchant King. Unaware and feeling secure of his place as he looked over all the fallen bodies that littered the floor of his courtyard, he never suspected anything even as the Assassin dropped to the ground behind him.

It was not until the guard next to him had become startled, moving to free his sword in attack, but could never pull it completely free as a flying dagger embedded itself right between his eyes.

"Ah-!" the King spun around to face the man shrouded in white, fear finally pulling over his face. "S-Stay back…!" He tried to run to the side to evade the man, but his chubby legs could not carry him as fast as he would have hoped before the man jumped high into the air and tackled the King to the ground with his hidden blade shoved straight through his ribcage.

"The girl performing earlier," Altaïr spoke calmly as he rolled the large man over until he could face directly," Where is she?"

"She is to entertain the only guest that mattered here," he spoke, fighting back the gurgle of blood in his throat. It was all Altaïr could do to contain the anger fuming within him.

"Then be at peace now. Their words can no longer do harm."

"Why have you done this…?" The King weakly looked up to the hooded Assassin.

"You stole money from those you claim to lead," Altaïr's cool tone slipped back into his voice. "Sent it away for some unknown purpose. I want to know where it's gone and why."

"Look at me…!" Abu'l coughed. "My very nature is an affront to the people I ruled. And these noble robes did little more than to muffle their shouts of hate."

"So this was about vengeance then," the Assassin mused, disinterested.

"No, not vengeance, but my conscience." Altaïr turned back to the dying man in his arms. "How could I finance a way in service to the same god that calls me an abomination?" Altaïr glanced back to the guard who stood so closely by the King's side before meeting one of his daggers.

"If you do not serve Salāḥ ad-Dīn's cause then whose?"

"In time you'll come to know them," Abu'l staggered in his breathing before a small grin began to slip over his face as blood began to trickle down his mouth. "I think perhaps you already do."

"Then why hide?" Atlaïr's narrowed eyes turned back to the King. "And why these dark deeds?"

"Is it so different than your own work? You take the lives of men and women, strong in the conviction that their deaths will improve the lots of those left behind. A minor evil for a greater good? We are the same."

"No, we are nothing alike," Altaïr snapped.

"Ahhh, but I see it in your eyes," the King grinned. "You… doubt." Altaïr hesitated to say anything against his words as the man's voice grew weaker and his breath all the more shallow. "You cannot stop us… We will have our new world."

He could feel his brow twitch at his last remark before the Assassin removed the feather from his belt to mark it with the fallen King's blood. But now was not the time to dally on such thoughts this Templar implanted in his mind. Immediately, his eyes darted back inside the palace and soon he disappeared within its walls. As his feet carried him fast and silently through each hall, he threw himself into each room in his attempt to find her. One room after the other, each turning up empty the instant he rammed through the doors. He was beginning to lose count of just how many he ran into in his attempt to find her and it was then he even remembered that he was only in one level of the estate. She could literally be anywhere and by the time he could even reach her—his teeth gritted together at any thought of what could have happened with her and this 'guest of honor'.

_That idiot, I told her that she was never to leave my side in these missions and she pulls this stunt! _He was still on the second level when he finally found the staircase leading down, but just before he could even set foot on the first step, his ears caught wind of her instrument once more. He spun back around to face the adjacent corridor where he believed he could hear her. Careful footsteps pulled him forward, making sure he could not mistake the sound of her melody and pinpoint where she was.

The music, though muffled, was getting louder and louder until finally he found the doors that contained the whimsical tune. Without a second's hesitation, he rushed toward the doors, pushing them open until he landed in the room with an unsightly display before him.


End file.
